Just a Chick Thing
by Romeo's Waiting
Summary: She’d never been bungee jumping before, but Finn made her yearn to take the jump. PDLD
1. Island Time

**A/N: **Hey guys! I'm so happy right now that I decided to start a new story! I know I have like a million unfinished but…I just took my last final yesterday and so I have a whole summer to update! Yeah!

**Background: **This story is really random. Umm…I think you just need to know that Stephanie went to Chilton with Paris and Rory. They are all going to Yale and are going to be freshmen's. None of them have met Logan, Colin or Finn, who also go to Yale but are two years older than them. This takes places the summer before they start Yale. Rory is going to be more outgoing and wild…just because I like writing her like that. And she didn't sleep with Dean so she's still a virgin. If I forgot anything just review or e-mail me and I'll clear it up. Oh and it's going to be a PDLD! Because Finn's my favourite!

Anyhow…enjoy!

**Just a Chick Thing**

_**One Week Prior**_

"_I swear, mates, I didn't know what would happen!"_

_He received nothing but two pairs of narrowed eyes and laughed nervously, pulling at the collar of his shirt. _

"_It was thundering, you imbecile! What did you think would happen?"_

_He shot them a black stare. "Thunder doesn't equal fried hard drive, at least not to me."_

"_How 'bout lightening?" _

_Eyes rolling and hands crossed over his chest, he sighed and gestured behind them to a small island off in the distance. Only the tips of tall buildings could be seen, along with the edge of a long dock, yachts and boats lined up along its sides. _

"_Well it's not like we'll get busted for it," he told them. "In case you haven't noticed we're making our grand escape right now."_

"_Grand escape? Looks more like you running with your tail between your legs!" _

_He grinned and swung an arm around both their shoulders, squeezing just tight enough to have them both wincing. "And I've got my best mates running with me," he told them. "Now where do you say we run to? Mexico?" he suggested but then scoffed and smacked himself in the forehead. "'Course not, don't know what I was thinking. Mexico would be way too obvious!"_

"_Serious question, Finn," one interrupted, grabbing the Australian and stopping him mid-tirade. "Did your parents ever ask you to run away from home?"_

_Logan choked back his laugh as he met the glaring eyes of his best friend. "You know we're just teasing you, Finn my man!" he said and walked over to the side of the yacht, leaning back against the railing. "So…where to?"_

_Finn let a grin spread across his face. "Well certainly not Mexico…" he started in again and both Logan and Colin rolled their eyes, watching on in amusement as Finn paced the deck, listing off countries and cities as he walked. _

"_I've got it!" he suddenly exclaimed and jumped up, smacking his hand down on Colin's shoulder. "Fiji!"_

_Colin glared, "And you needed to emphasize that by breaking my shoulder?" he asked dryly, rubbing his hand into the muscle._

"_Sorry, Colin, I forget sometimes you're more fragile than the rest of us," he exclaimed but jumped out of the way before Colin's hand could hit him. _

"_Why Fiji?" Logan asked, sporting a huge grin on his face as he looked between Finn and Colin. "Haven't we been there before?"_

"_Summer of 2002," Finn supplied snapping his fingers and starting to whistle. "And why not? I happen to remember…well, bits and pieces of that summer…which usually means it was one of the better ones."_

"_Fiji it is then…and let us hope, for our safety, there aren't any computers involved," he added, smirking at Finn. _

_Finn pouted. "I'm telling you, I didn't know what would happen!" he defended himself. _

"_Of course, it's hard to know what a computer will do when you plug it in during a thunderstorm," Colin said sarcastically._

"_Some of us aren't as hooked on phonics as others," Finn told him, arms grasped in front of him and tongue pushing against his front teeth. _

"_Someone has to be behind your hair-brained ideas," Colin shot back. _

"_Guys, guys…" Logan interrupted them, walking until he was separating them and drew them together with an arm hooked around their necks. "Wouldn't this be more fun with a little alcohol mixed in?" he suggested. _

"_Brilliant, Huntz!" Finn exclaimed and bounced off towards the bar they were standing by. He quickly came back with three shots of whiskey and handed them around. "To Fiji!"_

"_To Fiji!" Logan and Colin chorused and they all hit their glasses together, throwing the burning alcohol down their throats and ending with a loud, wolf cry from Finn. _

- - -

With an exasperated sigh they collapsed onto the sand, the incoming tide brushing against the heels of their feet. Hair piled on top their heads, errant strands sticking to their sweating skin, while barely there shorts and bikini tops stuck to the rest of their bodies.

"I didn't think this temperature even existed!" Stephanie complained, groaning as she could literally feel the beads of sweat inch their way down her neck.

"Lying out in the open on the beach probably isn't helping," Paris commented and both girls turned to look at her.

"And you're actually able to move?" Rory asked her dryly, licking her lips to stop them from becoming dry.

Paris stared at her for a moment before letting out a defeated sigh. "The hotel's way to far away," she explained.

"We could always go in the water," Steph said and the three girls all raised themselves onto their elbows, looking down at the water that was slowly inching past their ankles.

"It would be slightly cooler," Rory added and pushed herself forwards even more, swishing her hand into the tide.

They all stood up, sand sticking to the backs of their legs. The first foot in they let out a collective sigh, the second foot in and small smiles spread onto their faces. With new found energy they ran into the water, feeling the cooling effects immediately.

"I love water," Stephanie said as they all resurfaced, swimming out further until the water reached their shoulders.

"Why didn't we ever think of this before?" Rory asked, leaning her head back and dipping her hair into the water.

"The heat must have been liquefying our brains," Paris supplied to which they just laughed.

Stephanie suddenly pouted and looked down, the water clear enough that she could see her legs. "We're gonna have to buy new shorts," she said.

Rory laughed and shook her head, water spraying everywhere. She looked out around her, it was the first time she'd ever been to Fiji and she knew she would never be able to take in everything before they left. The beaches, the buildings, just the overall feel the island had. She'd instantly loved it the second she'd stepped off the plane.

Her eyes landed on the docks that were a 100 yards down the shoreline. "Hey, Steph?" she asked, returning her gaze to the blonde who was currently trying her hardest to push Paris under the water.

"Yeah?"

"We should take your boat out," she suggested and both girls stopped pushing on each others shoulders and looked over to the docks to.

"I'm for it," she said and then turned to Paris who was squeezing the water out of her hair. "You in, Gellar?"

"Sure, I've cooled off enough for now," she agreed.

The girls started to leisurely swim down to the docks, not in a hurry to actually leave the water.

"Ick!" Steph exclaimed suddenly and kicked her legs in a fluid motion, trying to push herself backwards.

"What?" Rory asked, instantly fearing the worst and couldn't stop from hearing the Jaws theme song in her head.

"Gross green stuff," Steph told them and then started to swim in towards the shore. "No way am I swimming through that."

They all walked out of the water, dripping wet from head to toe, though the heat from the mid afternoon sun dried their skin easily. The hard wooden boards that made up the dock were hot against their bare feet, making them all jump and hurry towards the small yacht that belonged to Stephanie's father.

Steph untied the boat from its post, all the while hopping from one foot to the other. The minute it was free she climbed onto it, sighing at the feel the carpeted floor. They all looked up as a tanned man suddenly came on deck and shook hands with Stephanie.

"You want to go for a ride?" he asked, looking at them all, to which Steph nodded and the guy walked quickly back towards a closed off room. Minutes later they felt the boat shift and then heard the engine come to life.

"He just stays on the boat all day?" Paris asked, wrapping a towel around her hair and drying it a little.

"Just when I might want to use it," Steph said and then walked towards the side of the boat, sitting down on a large bench seat. "Where to?" she asked, thanking the Lord that the dock wasn't full that day so they had no problems getting the boat out into the water.

"I don't know," Rory replied and leaned back against the side of the boat. "Although I would prefer somewhere where there aren't any sharks…"

Steph laughed and then stood up and walked over to the room the guy had disappeared in to. "I'll see what I can do," she told her.

- - -

A brilliant sun was sitting high in the sky, its bright rays glistening off the surface of the water. Every few minutes the boat would rock gently with the swell of a small wave, but it didn't disturb the three guys reclining on the top deck.

Logan was in the middle of Finn and Colin. His lips were spread into a wide smirk and his chest shaking almost imperceptibly with laughter. He kept his eyes closed though, not meeting the glares his friends were throwing at him.

"Sod off, Logan," Finn told him and twisted in his chair so that he could kick Logan's leg. "It's not that funny."

The blonde couldn't stop the laugh from escaping his lips. He sat up in his chair, narrowly missing the splash of water that Colin had aimed straight at him. He shook his head and stood up, pointing back and forth between the two of them.

"I always knew we were close," he started and then his face went noticeably serious. "But, you guys, I think you might have taken it too far last night."

"We were drunk," Colin muttered under his breath, arms crossed on his chest and a frown marring his features.

Finn brightened a little and got off his chair, a hand held against his chest and a fake heartbroken expression on his face. "What are you saying, Colin?" he asked dramatically and scrambled over to Colin's chair. "You don't feel that way about me?"

Colin glared at him and inched away from Finn's reaching hand. "Did I mention the kick in the groin you'll be receiving if you touch me?" he asked rhetorically.

"Ooh…" Finn exclaimed and fawned himself playfully. "I would have never guessed you liked it rough!"

"Fuck you, Finn," Colin said and pushed him on his shoulder, looking a little better when Finn fell backwards onto the deck, almost crashing into Logan's chair.

"You tried to last night," he shot back haughtily and then jumped to his feet, taking off around the boat as Colin chased after him, shouting threats as he went.

Logan was holding onto the side of the boat as he watched in amusement the antics of his best friends. He flinched though when Colin jumped onto Finn's back and they both collapsed onto the deck.

Finn pushed himself out from underneath Colin and his eyes immediately turned to Logan. "That's gotta be foul play, mate!" he called.

Logan shook his head. "Colin wins, Finn, fair and square," he told them and Colin also jumped to his feet, one arm raised in the air and smirking in victory.

"God awful American judging," he muttered under his breath and walked over to the side of the yacht, leaning over the railing. "You know I could beat your ass any time in surfing!" he yelled to Colin although he never turned his attention from the water directly below him.

Logan laughed. "We know, buddy," he said and clapped a hand on Finn's shoulder. He raised his eyes out towards the water again and then straightened completely. "Well look at that, we've got company."

Finn looked up, squinting to see out into the water. One hand came up and he laid it over his eyes, shielding them from the sun, letting the outline of a small yacht come into focus. It was much smaller than the one they were on, and was floating in the water not even 50 yards away. He let his gaze sweep over its entirety, seeing no one on board except the captain.

"Empty," he said and turned towards Logan who was also looking over the yacht.

"Maybe they're swimming," he suggested and moved his eyebrows up and down suggestively.

"Maybe they're not chicks," Colin's voice broke in and Logan and Finn both smacked him upside the head. "Ow!"

"Serves you right, mate, jinxing everything like that," he exclaimed and threw his hands in the air. "Now it'll probably be some old fat guys wearing Speedos," he said while cringing.

"You wanna know what I think?" Colin asked and walked over to beside Finn.

"Of course, Colin, what's your cry-baby, whiny assed opinion?" he asked sarcastically.

Colin threw him a look but then sighed and motioned off towards the yacht that hadn't moved since they'd noticed it. "It's probably some old retired couple," he told them, sounding completely sure of himself.

Logan raised his eyebrows and frowned. "Yeah?" he asked and looked back over to the boat.

Colin laughed. "Well the boat is named, "Island Time", not exactly hip and happening."

Finn laughed at Colin's choice of words and then pouted and turned around, his back to the boat. "Now what do we do?"

His question was met with absolute silence and Finn frowned before turning towards Logan who was staring back at the boat, mouth open slightly and eyes wide.

"What the…"

Words failed him as he turned just in time to see a gorgeous girl walk out onto the deck of the boat. He felt his entire body react, a fire spreading through his veins as she took a drink from a water bottle before bringing it to her head and tipping it over. His eyes got even wider, watching in fascination as the water cascaded over her face, down her neck and splashed against her breasts, the light blue bikini dripping water onto the deck.

He swallowed, his mouth dry.

"Bloody hell…"

- - -

_You ask me why I gotta play so hard to get yeah  
You ask me do I play it cool just to make you sweat yeah  
You want some kind explanation I can give  
It's just a chick thing that you're messin' with  
To me it's black and white  
But it's not getting through to you..._

_That's what girls do  
They keep you guessing the whole day through  
Play your emotions push all your buttons it's true  
That's what girls do_

_- - -  
_


	2. Australian Expertise

**Disclaimer: **I don't own Gilmore Girls or Tanc Sade…it sucks but it's true!

**Just a Chick Thing**

"That's definitely not a retired couple…" Logan was the first to say something and his words ripped Colin's and Finn's attention from the girl across from them.

"You just noticing that, mate?" Finn asked smirking slightly, all the while letting his eyes flip between Logan and the girl.

Logan rolled his eyes and smacked his hand on the back of Finn's head. "We should go over, you know, make nice," he suggested.

"Great plan Sherlock," Colin stated, arms crossed over his chest, "except for the fact that there's three of us and sadly, only one of her."

"Well I saw her first!" Finn exclaimed, poking his chest with his thumb, eyes trained on the girl still.

"How do you know that?" Colin asked, glaring at him. "I could have easily seen her first!"

Logan laughed and held a hand up, quieting the others. "Hey, guys, look," he started and then smirked, "it's obvious that I was the one to see her first."

Finn raised an incredulous eyebrow and then shook his head. "In case you haven't noticed, we're not going to agree on this," he told them, a pout forming on his lips.

"Why don't we all just go over?" Logan asked and pointing over at the girl who was now sitting down with her back to them, drying herself off with a pink towel.

Finn smirked at Logan and hooked his arm around Logan's neck. "You just might be right, mate," he said and nodded vehemently. "After all, there's a time and place for everything in life, and it's called college."

Colin curled his lip in distaste and then smacked Finn. "You're off your rocker, Morgan," he said and then cursed and walked over to the bar, pouring himself a shot. "I'm not going over there for whatever the hell you've cooked up in that pea brain of yours!"

Finn licked his lips and playfully winked at Colin. "Your choice, mate," he told him. "And you should know I wasn't actually serious."

Logan smirked. "Course we know, Finn…well about the girl being in the midst at least. I'm not so sure about you and Colin though, you guys have been a little friendlier towards each other lately."

"Would you fucking shut up about that!" Colin told him, glaring hatefully but then his eyes sparkled wickedly. "Or maybe I'll just go over and tell that girl that you, my dear friend, were hitting on a male cross dresser…while sober!"

Logan instantly became serious and nodded, clapping his hands together in front of him. "Right, glad we got that all cleared up," he declared and walked past Colin, pouring himself a shot, which he downed immediately.

Finn pretended to wipe a tear from his eyes and then held his hands over his heart. "You guys are just so sweet!" he cried dramatically.

"Why the hell didn't we bring any girls with us?" Colin asked, eyes narrowed in thought.

"'Cause we'd get bored of them and then be stuck on yacht alone with them for the whole summer," Logan supplied and all three of them shivered at just the mere idea.

- - -

"Do you have any eights?" Paris asked, her voice beyond bored and Rory only shook her head, not even opening her eyes.

The two of them were lying on the deck of the yacht, a set of cards held in each of their hands. They'd been out on the water for over an hour, swimming in the water a little but mostly just sunbathing.

"Yes you do, I can see them," Paris stated and Rory slowly opened her eyes and looked down at the cards she was holding.

"Then why didn't you just take them?" she asked tiredly, yawning slightly.

Paris glared. "Because that's not how you play 'Go Fish', is it Gilmore?" she asked rhetorically but Rory only stuck her tongue out briefly. "Oh yeah, that's mature."

"We're playing 'Go Fish' Paris, I think we've already past immature," Rory shot back, smiling. She dropped her cards onto the deck and stretched her body out languidly in the sun.

Paris huffed but put her cards down to. She turned so she was lying on her stomach, elbows resting on the towel she'd previously been using as a pillow. "Steph?" she asked.

The blonde looked up from where she was drying her legs off. "Bored?" she asked knowingly and only received a pointed look. "I'll get us a fun game to play," she announced and smirked as she stood up and threw her towel onto the bench beside her. "Wake Gilmore would you?"

Paris smirked evilly and silently stood up from her spot on the floor. She tiptoed over to the front of the boat and picked up the large bucket full of water they'd been using to store a stranded fish that had jumped aboard the boat. They were going to bring him back to where he'd jumped on and dump him back into the water there. Or at least that's what Rory had wanted to do…

"This should be fun," Paris whispered and tipped the bucket over the side of the boat just enough to let the fish drop into the water.

She inched her way back over to Rory and couldn't stop a laugh from escaping past her lips as she tipped the bucket over, the cold water hitting Rory directly on her head and Rory screamed, bolting upright, a spew of curses falling from her lips.

"Well who knew Mary knew such bad words," Paris mused from above her.

"I can't believe you did that!" Rory screamed and then jumped to her feet, chasing after Paris as the blonde ran in the opposite direction. "Get back here Gellar! I'm going to kill you!"

Stephanie stepped out onto the top deck and blinked a couple of times as she watched the two of them run around the boat. She pouted and put down the basket she was carry and put her hands on her hips. "No fun you guys, I wanna play!"

They both stopped, Paris crying she was laughing so hard and Rory collapsing onto the deck in exhaustion from the running. "You suck Paris," she said and glared at her from the ground.

"Stephanie told me to wake you up."

"I wasn't sleeping!" she cried and pushed herself to her knees, arms outstretched. "Plus, you didn't have to dump water all over me to wake me up!"

"Yeah well…"

"Hey!" Steph yelled, interrupting them and both girls snapped their attention to her. "No cat fights girls; I don't have my video camera with me."

"Nice," Rory commented dryly and then crossed her legs and let her gaze switch to the basket Stephanie had put down before. "What's that?"

The blonde smirked. "Oh just a little supplies…" she hinted and then picked the basket up and brought it to Paris and Rory who were both sitting on the deck. "We're gonna have so much fun!"

- - -

"Thank the Lord Almighty there's three of them!" Finn cried and dropped down to his knees, bowing on the deck.

Logan and Colin exchanged a look before they walked over and each grabbed one of Finn's arms and hauled him to his feet again.

"Get a hold of yourself man," Colin advised and dropped Finn's arm. "So…are we going over?"

"Of course we're going over, you ninny," Finn replied and rolled his eyes. "Three hot girls, three handsome…well no, one handsome guy and the two of you," he exclaimed and cracked his knuckles. "I gotta say I'm liking those odds."

"You're hilarious," Colin told him sarcastically and smacked him again.

Finn pouted and rubbed at his head. "Boy, you guys sure like manhandling me!" he teased and then smirked walking over to the side of the yacht. "They're all still sitting down and chatting, I say we go now."

"Way ahead of you, Finn!" Logan called just as the engine to the boat turned on and they all felt it turned to the side a little.

"I call the blonde from earlier," Collin announced, grinning like a fool.

"Colin, Colin, Colin," Finn repeated and shook his head, laying a hand on his friends shoulder. "You don't 'call' a girl, mate, you woo her. You know, charm, good looks, an amazing lie to get her into bed with you."

"I just know you're depriving a village somewhere of an idiot," Colin told him seriously before shrugging off Finn's hand.

The Australian laughed good-naturedly. "Good one Colin, you're almost up to my level," he told him, pride shining in his eyes. "Now back to more pressing matters. I would definitely like to meet the brunette one," he told Colin.

"Yeah?"

Finn was about to reply when Logan landed between the two of them smirking. "Finn likes his girls wet," he said, the obvious double meaning earning him a sudden hug from Finn.

"I've never been more proud of you before, Huntz," he exclaimed and then pulled away and smiled wide.

Logan laughed, rolling his eyes. "Okay then, Finn," he played along, being entirely used to Finn's ways. "And I guess that leaves the second blonde to me, just the one I wanted too."

- - -

Stephanie giggled, sipping at her drink again and then stood up, walking over to the front of the boat. She bent down and quickly picked up her digital camera and brought it over to Paris.

"We so have to document this," she told them, grinning from ear to ear.

Rory glared and put her drink down on the deck beside her. "I'm not going to kiss Paris," she told Stephanie and the other blonde was shaking her head vehemently. "That happened twice and it's never happening again!"

Steph laughed even harder but nodded. "Okay fine, we'll keep the game under NC-17," she said and they all exchanged glances before laughing again.

"What's in this?" Paris asked, sipping contently at her slushy.

Stephanie smiled and rolled her eyes. "Lemonade," she told Paris innocently and Rory frowned, taking another sip of her own drink.

"And…?"

"Maybe a little vodka," she said shrugging and then raised herself onto her knees. She happened to look over to their left and squealed. "Hey! Boat!"

"What?" Rory asked and they all got up, walking over to the side of the deck and looking out. There was another yacht, maybe a little more than two dozen yards away from them. However this one was a whole lot bigger than Stephanie's. "How long have they been there?"

"I don't know but there are three guys on board," Paris said, squinting into the sun and pointing out the guys.

"Ooh! Boys!" Steph exclaimed and clapped her hands together. "So much for keeping this under NC-17!" she said smirking and both Rory and Paris exchanged nervous looks. "Oh come on you two," Steph moaned and dragged them both back down onto the deck. "You guys have to go back out and experience guys again."

"Hey! I think we've all had our hearts broken enough!" Paris told her, frowning and crossed her arms over her chest.

"Okay, you need to get over Jaimie. You guys went out once and so what if he didn't call you after he went back to Princeton! His loss," she told Paris and then turned to Rory. "And you, Jess wasn't worth your time in the first place! He left you, without a word might I add, he deserves to be left in the dust."

Rory and Paris looked at each other, identical grins spreading onto their faces. They all laughed and then Rory hugged Steph, whispering her thanks into the blondes' ear.

"You're both welcome," she told them and then held up her drink. "Now let's forget about our loser ex-boyfriends and have some fun!"

Rory and Paris raised their own glasses and they all took a large sip, once and for all putting all their relationship baggage behind them.

- - -

"So what do you say?" Logan asked Colin as he finished explaining his plan.

"Sounds good," Colin agreed, nodding. "We should be near their boat in about five minutes or so."

"Then we just invite them on over, after all, our yacht is a little more spacious," Logan stated proudly, his chest puffing out a bit.

"Alright then, Finn, you got that?" Colin asked as he turned around to where Finn had been leaning against the side of the yacht before. "Finn?" he repeated as he saw the third part of their trio was no where to be seen.

"I'm way ahead of you mates!" they heard his distinct accented voice call out and both shook their heads, amused as they walked over to the side of the boat and saw Finn stretched out on his back and swimming towards the other boat. "What you two losers doing up there?" he called up, smirking.

Colin rolled his eyes and then exchanged a look with Logan. "What do you say?" he asked.

Logan laughed and pulled his shirt over his head. "If you can't beat 'em, join 'em!" he yelled and then they both dived over the edge of the boat, slicing through the water and joining Finn on his way over to the girls.

- - -

Rory, Stephanie and Paris were all lined up against the side of their boat. They'd been brainstorming ways to grab the other guys' attention and trying to stop Stephanie from lifting up her shirt –which had been her suggestion- when the darker one had taken off his shirt.

"Oh my…" Rory had breathed out and tightened her grip on the side of the boat as she watched him raise his hands in the air, stretching completely. She couldn't stop her eyes from slipping down his chest, hard and lean, skin bronze and tempting. His dark green board shorts hung dangerously low and Rory felt her mouth go dry at the sight of his narrow hips.

"Ahem!" Paris' rough voice interrupted her and Rory felt her cheeks go red from embarrassment as she met the knowing looks on both her friends' faces.

Stephanie playfully fanned herself. "Hey I don't blame you, Gilmore. That boy was hot!" she exclaimed and they all erupted into laughter again.

"I wasn't…I mean…I…" Rory fumbled for words but then trailed off when a splash was heard and they all snapped their attention to see a wave of water coming up from the ocean. "Oh my God! He wouldn't jump, would he?" she asked panicked and leaned more over the edge of the boat.

Stephanie smiled and exchanged a look with Paris. "He probably would, and even then, it's not life or death, Rory," she told the brunette who only blushed more but kept her attention on the water.

Then the water was disturbed again as his hands broke through the surface, followed closely by his head and Rory felt her stomach drop as he started to float on his back, chest exposed and glistening with water. His hair was wet and plastered against his face, dripping tiny droplets down the hard lines of his cheekbones.

"Well, well, well," Paris said and threw an arm around Rory's shoulders. "I think somebody has a crush!" she exclaimed and Rory glared at her, finally taking her eyes of the man swimming in the water.

She was about to reply when…

"Finn!" one of the guys from up on the yacht yelled suddenly and the three girls turned their attention back to them.

"Way ahead of you mates!" the one in the water, apparently Finn, yelled back and then stopped swimming and frowned up at the other two who were leaning over the boat. "What you two losers doing up there?"

The girls were looking on with amusement shining on their faces, holding back their laughter. They were about to call out to the guys when the two on top all of a sudden removed their shirts and then dived into the water.

Rory watched Steph and Paris, smirking as she wasn't the one left floundering this time. She shook her head; she couldn't believe this was really happening. They were out yachting off the coast of Fiji and now they had three, gorgeous and half naked guys, swimming over to their boat. Rory couldn't help laughing as she thought about how her mom was going to react when she told her about this later on the phone.

Rory broke out of her trance when she saw Stephanie staring at the guys in the water and licking her lips.

"You might want to stop licking your lips that way; one of them might get the right idea about you, and then where would you be?" Rory was only half kidding, blue eyes ablaze.

"Where every cat longs to be, my sweet innocent little bookworm; completely in the cream," she shot back, batting her eyelashes outrageously making Rory burst out laughing.

"Hey!" Paris called down to the guys and Rory and Steph leaned over the side to. "You are aware that there are sharks in that water, right?" she asked and Rory cringed, looking all around them, her spine tingling with just the mention of sharks.

"You don't say," one of them yelled back and then motioned over at the ladder that was folded up against the side of the boat. "Maybe you could help us up, then?"

It being Stephanie's boat, she went over to the ladder and quickly let it down, the ends splashing into the water. They all stood back as the three guys climbed aboard, dripping water everywhere on the deck.

Rory smiled as the one she'd been watching more closely, Finn she'd come to learn, closed his eyes and shook his hair out like a dog, spraying mostly everyone. He smirked over at Rory and she couldn't help but blush, looking into his twinkling emerald eyes.

"Name's Finn, love," he introduced himself gallantly and then held out his hand.

"Rory," she told him and with a look from the other girls let him grab her hand, blushing again when he brushed the softest kiss across the back of it.

"Jeeze, Finn, you're here one minute and you've already started flirting," Colin remarked dryly, shaking his head in mock disappointment. He looked back at the girls and waved slightly. "I'm Colin Mcrae."

"Ahh, don't worry mate, you'll get to my level of expertise someday," he shot back and Rory was finally able to place his thick accent as that of an Aussie.

Logan rolled his eyes and stepped forward. "Logan," he introduced himself, smiling charmingly at Paris who only raised an eyebrow. "And you are?"

Steph smiled, "That's Paris," she told him and shoved the other blonde in the back non-conspicuously. "I'm Stephanie but you guys can call me Steph."

Finn clapped his hands together. "Great, now that all the boring introductions are out of the way," he exclaimed rather loudly, "I say we have some fun!"

Rory, Paris and Stephanie all exchanged glances. Steph shrugged her shoulders helplessly before walking over to follow the guys as they sat down on the deck. Rory blushed and motioned for Paris to come with them.

"I just know this is a bad idea," she mumbled under her breath before turning to follow Rory.

- - -

_**A/N: **Oh My God! I love you guys so much! I never expected to get so many reviews for only the first chapter…Hopefully this second one won't disappoint. Now a couple people had some questions that I wanted to answer so…_

_Irish-Chick13: I'm so glad you like my stories! I still always surprised when someone says that to me! And yes this story will follow the storyline of the boys getting into trouble, but it will be a little different then on the show. I hope you like this new chapter!_

_Indiez: I totally understand that, some stories are just way over the top when they describe how beautiful Rory is. I hope I did everyone justice with this new chapter and I hope you like it reading it as much as the first!_

_Danishgirl9: I so happy you like this story. And I want to continue it on into Yale, that is why I mentioned Yale but I guess it depends on how many people keep reading and reviewing. I hope you like the new chapter!_

_Thanks to everyone else who reviewed you guys are amazingly awesome!_

_Hugs and Kisses,  
-Ella_


	3. Lets Talk About You and Me

**Disclaimer: **I don't own Gilmore Girls or Tanc Sade…it sucks but it's true!

**A/N: There's one thing in this chapter where you're going to have to remember that Steph went to Chilton with Rory and Paris for! **

Just a Chick Thing

The deck of the boat was crowded. With only enough room for a family of four to fit comfortably, the group of six was huddled together. All around them containers and bags littered the sun deck, packages from everything sugared or just plain bad for you.

"My tongue hurts!" Stephanie whined from her spot lying on the deck.

Rory nodded. "Opening that last pack of sour candy was such a bad idea."

Everyone laughed but made no other attempt at moving. They were all either lying down or sitting up and leaning against something.

"I told you this was a bad idea," Paris said, shaking her head.

Logan was finally the first to stand up and after stretching, he ambled over to Paris. The blonde shuffled a few inches away from him, glaring when he sat beside her.

"Come on, Paris, we're all having fun."

She didn't respond to his comment, instead choosing to ignore him completely…in theory at least.

"What do you want?" she asked after a minute of him staring at her.

He laughed along with the others. "You're blunt."

"Well it comes in handy when I'm talking to players," she stated dryly.

Logan was about to say something but Rory put a hand on his shoulder. "Trust me, just let it go."

"She's a debater?"

"Paris could debate all night long," Rory told him knowingly.

Logan smirked. "Is that the only thing she can do all night long?"

"Hey now, kiddies!" Finn said and grabbed onto Rory's arm to pull himself up. "Thanks love. So, now that we've lived through the preliminary Gilmore junk food hoard," he announced, smiling over at Rory. "We can get to know each other."

"How well?" Steph asked winking suggestively.

"Control yourself, Vanderbilt," Rory shot back, smiling.

"Don't tell her to do that!" Finn exclaimed, licking his lips. "Girls gone wild!"

"Lay your fantasies to rest, Finn," Logan said and then laughed, chucking the nearest cup across the deck. "Someone wake him up!"

Rory frowned before turning to see the cup lying on top of Colin. "We killed Colin!" she exclaimed.

Steph smiled wickedly and bent over by his ear. She whispered something, so low that no one else could hear. Colin's eyes snapped open, wide as saucers and he coughed dryly.

"What did you say?" Paris asked, curious as they all saw his cheeks become slightly red.

"I was just letting him get to know me a little better," she explained, her voice dripping with innocence.

Rory rolled her eyes but the pink blush on her cheeks didn't go unnoticed by Finn.

"You awake buddy?" Logan asked Colin, smirking.

Colin glared as he himself pushed into a sitting position. "You weren't the one up for 48 hours straight!"

"And was that our fault, mate?" Finn asked, green eyes alight with mischief.

"Let me think…Yes!" Colin exclaimed, arms held out wide. "You and your stupidity."

"I'm not stupid," he pouted.

"Then what? Are you possessed by a retarded ghost?" he asked, causing everyone else to laugh.

"Are they always like this?" Paris asked Logan, not taking her eyes off the arguing guys.

The blonde laughed. "This is nothing," he informed her.

"Come on, Col, you know you love me," Finn teased while holding his arms out as if he was expecting a hug.

"You're delusional."

Rory was watching the scene play out in amusement. Having the guys around had turned out so much different then how she'd thought it would. Even though they'd only known each other for less than two hours, she felt completely comfortable. It was like she'd known them all her entire life.

Colin wasn't someone she thought she'd get along with. At first he'd seemed like he was a stuck up, elitist that cared about no one but himself. Of course she'd soon found out that was halfway true…at least the first part. He was stuck up, more so than even Taylor Doose. But with Colin, she found it blended in so well with his character, it was just a quirk he had. But she could tell also that he didn't just care about himself, not with the relationship he had with the other guys.

Logan was instantly the one who got on her nerves the most. Although she wasn't sure if it was in a bad way or not. Like Paris, she'd read him the second he'd introduced himself. He was definitely a player and very sure of himself, just like they all seemed to be, but Logan was more than that. She rolled her eyes at the cocky aura that surrounded him, yet amusement couldn't help but be sparked from his obvious partiality to Paris.

Rory smiled shyly as she finally let her gaze meet with the man on her other side. He was still topless, something even Rory's innocent mind didn't object to. She blushed under her thoughts, not exactly used to feeling like this towards a strange guy. But Finn was so different than any other guy she'd ever met. He was exuberant and dramatic and passionate.

He reminded her most of Lorelai, completely carefree and original, and she felt herself clinging to that. Going away to college and being away from her mom scared her more than she would admit. That had been the reason behind this trip, a small dose of what college life would be like…without Lorelai or Stars Hollow by her side.

"Penny for your thoughts?" The thick accent was a welcome relief from her slightly depressing thoughts.

Rory laughed. "I was merely making my initial conceptions about you and your friends," she admitted lightly.

Finn raised an eyebrow. "Huh," he said and rubbed at his chin, appraising her for a moment before nodding. "May I do the same?"

She narrowed her eyes. "I guess so," she told him warily, suddenly nervous about what he would say.

Finn's eyes lit up and he leaned in closer, resting his chin on Rory's shoulder. His voice was low, almost a purr, as he spoke for only her to hear. "The perky blonde is the Barbie of the group," he said and when Rory huffed, lips set in a thin line, he raised one finger. "But, she's obviously also the glue in your relationships with each other."

Rory turned her head to look at him, shock evident in her eyes and her mouth open slightly. That was definitely not something she ever would have thought he would say. While Finn and the guys were all fun and witty, fitting in perfectly with them, Rory had silently written them off as rich, trust fund kids with the world at their finger tips and not caring about anything else.

Finn chuckled softly, his breath tickling the hair at the nape of her neck. "France of the other hand is the tight ass. Expertly cynical and every bit as serious as she is benign," he whispered.

Rory was quiet for a moment, lost in the echo of his words. She looked into his eyes, deep with knowledge and yet sparkling with a mischievousness that made her wonder whether he knew how right he was.

"Okay, you're just trying to make yourself seem smart, right?" she asked, biting her lower lip.

He clicked his tongue and then straightened up, head cocked to the side. "You seem far too innocent, love. I sure I've seen you blush more times than I can count."

Rory blushed before she could stop herself. "How far can you count?" she teased.

Finn smirked and held up both hands, fingers spread wide. "This many," he told her, tongue pushing against his teeth.

Rory rolled her eyes and pushed his shoulder, feeling the slight tension that had been born between them fade. She shook her head and watched him for a second, disbelief in her blue eyes.

"How do you do that?" she asked, curiosity getting the best of her.

Finn ducked his eyes and then looked up at her. "Sociology major," he said, lifting his eyebrows with his words. "Surprised?"

"Pleasantly so," Rory admitted, her smiled growing at the same time as his.

Rory laughed, averting her eyes from his, feeling her nerves bubbling to the surface. She pushed her hair over her shoulder, meeting the gaze of Stephanie from across the deck. The blonde was smiling, sickeningly sweet, and Rory frowned.

"Rory, I need to go pee!" she said urgently, making not-so-subtle gestures toward the hull of the boat.

Rory merely raised an eyebrow, not moving until she was yanked up by the arm. "Jeeze Steph! This is your boat, you think you'd be able to go the bathroom by yourself," she whined.

Rory pulled her arm out of the blonde's grasp, following her into where the captain was sitting. Both giggled just the smallest bit when he tipped his hat towards them as they passed.

Just off to the left was a sliding door, pushed open, and both girls trumped down the fours steps and into the gallery area. Rory hadn't exactly been paying attention when she'd through there earlier and so she took the time now to look around.

The floor was covered in a plush carpet, a beige colour that matched the ceiling and walls. To the left was a small kitchen, beautifully crafted out of mahogany wood. A tall fridge was right next to the stairs, a TV mounted on top of it. A marble counter lined the side wall, a stove and sink built around the cupboards, along with a small coffee maker which Rory smiled at.

On the other side of the yacht was a fairly spacious interior salon. There was a mahogany table in the middle, a plate of fresh fruit sitting on top of it. A curved bench rested against that wall, with beige leather upholstery and white pillows.

Finally, in the back of the yacht, a small bathroom was tucked away. Steph stepped inside, leaning against the marble counter outlining the sink and peering into the mirror as she fiddled with her hair. Next to the sink were a toilet and then a surprisingly large shower.

Rory rested her head against the doorjamb, watching Steph primp herself. "So? Are you peeing?"

A faint laugh escaped Stephanie's lips. "I never had to pee. You know, for a girl who gets straight A's you don't catch on all that fast."

"You want to talk about boys?" Rory asked, though she knew there was no answer other than the obvious one.

Steph smiled. "A round of applause!" she said and proceeded to clap her hands together while making a large circle at the same time.

"You need a hobby," Rory told her smartly.

"Last time you told me that I slept with Tristan," she drawled, winking at Rory from the mirror.

Rory blushed. "Maybe this time you'll sleep with Colin…" she muttered under her breath but Steph heard it and laughed.

"That could be fun," she joked and then shook her head. "Although, if anyone's was going to sleep together it would be you and the exotic one."

Rory gasped, wide blue eyes snapping to Stephanie's face. "I…What?" she stammered, flushing red from her cheeks to her neck.

"Please," she blonde scoffed and pushed Rory out into the salon, sitting her down on the couch. "I saw you looking at him. You were totally picturing him naked!" she squealed and then looked thoughtful. "Or at least more naked then he already is!"

Rory moaned, burying her face into the cushion by her head. She couldn't believe what Stephanie was saying, there was nothing going on between her and Finn. Her friend was just reading too much into things…Of course now she couldn't get her mind to stop picturing Finn with nothing on…

"Oh God!" she cried out suddenly and jumped up from the couch. "You suck!"

Steph giggled, smirking as she stood and wrapped an arm around Rory's shoulder, directing her to the stairs. "Good luck looking him in eye from now on!" she teased and then scampered up the steps before Rory could smack her.

Rory waited at the bottom of the steps, worrying her bottom lip as she fought with herself over whether or not to venture up. She didn't want to hide away in the salon all day, without her friends or the three guys they'd invited aboard…but the thought of actually having to sit down next to him now when she couldn't stop picturing…

"Okay!" she said loudly, trying to turn her mind off as she trudged up the steps and slipped past the captain.

"You get lost or something?" Paris asked when Rory appeared in front of them again.

Rory shook her head, fiddling with her hands as she walked over to her earlier spot. They'd all moved closer together, sitting cross legged in a small circle. Inside the circle was what she guessed was an entire deck of cards all spaced out and lying face down on the deck. Surrounding the cards were six glasses and two bottles of what she thought was vodka.

"Love!" Finn exclaimed and jumped up and over to her, laying his arm around her shoulders. "You got back just in time! I thought you fell overboard…"

Rory smiled. "Nope."

"Well you're late to our game," he explained. "Fashionably late, though."

"What game?" She looked down at the cards, trying to think of any game that was spread out like that.

"What game? Only the most wonderful and fabulous kind of game!" he erupted.

Logan smirked and shook his head at Finn. "It's a drinking game," he told her. "You in?"

Rory bit her bottom lip, millions of thoughts running through her mind. She closed her eyes and nodded, "I'm in."

- - -

**_A/N: Sorry about how long this took and how short it is. This chap is mostly filler. I had to wait until I got my cast off so I could write this. How you like it, and please review. Thanks so much to everyone who reviewed the last two chapters! You guys are amazing. _**

**_Hugs and Kisses,_**  
_**-Ella**_


	4. A Game of Aces

**Disclaimer: **I don't own Gilmore Girls or Tanc Sade…it sucks but it's true!

Just a Chick Thing

_Logan smirked and shook his head at Finn. "It's a drinking game," he told her. "You in?"_

_Rory bit her bottom lip, millions of thoughts running through her mind. She closed her eyes and nodded, "I'm in."_

Rory didn't miss the huge grin on Steph's face when she sat down on the deck. She glared over at her friend, being careful not to let her attention turn to Finn at all.

"So, how do we play?" she asked, wanting to distract Steph before she started making inappropriate gestures, which Rory was sure would start coming any minute.

Logan smirked and handed her a glass, filling it halfway with Vodka. "It's a game of chance."

"Each person takes a turn and has to pick up one card, laying it face up on the deck," Colin interjected. "If the card is black you have to take a drink."

"But, love, the beauty of the game is that if the card is red, you pick someone to drink," Finn told her, grinning wildly. He then pointed over at Colin, winking at him. "I know who I'm picking already."

"So does everyone, Tracy," Paris threw in making Rory laugh.

"Spencer Tracy…My idol," he said, holding a hand over his heart.

"So that's the game?" Rory asked, her fingers dancing over the rim of her glass.

Logan shook his head. "You can't believe we'd play such a boring game?" he asked.

"Well, I don't know. I've only known you for a couple of hours."

"And here I thought our connection ran much deeper than that, love," Finn told her pouting and taking a sip from his drink.

"Morgan! Stop wasting the supplies!" Colin shouted, leaning over and smacking Finn's glass away from his mouth.

"I can't help it! It's just so tempting!"

Logan held a hand out, cutting Colin off from what he was about to say. "Now that the entertainment portion of the afternoon is over…"

"Maybe we could start playing?" Paris asked.

"I never thought I'd see the day where Paris Gellar wanted to play a drinking game," Steph said, giggling at the vexed expression of Paris's face.

"Calm yourself down, France," Finn told her sagely but Paris only bristled more at his nickname.

Rory laughed, leaning over to Logan and laying a hand on his shoulder. "What's the object of the game?" she whispered, not paying attention to their friends who were still arguing.

Logan smirked. "If you pick up a red Ace then everyone has to take a drink and you get to pick someone who has to drink the rest of theirs."

"Please pick me, love," Finn suddenly cut in and Rory jumped, turning around to see that he'd scooted until he was sitting right in front of them. "Sorry for eavesdropping, you can punish me later…"

She ducked her head, feeling her cheeks flame up at the implications behind his words. "So you want to get the red Ace?" she asked Logan.

"Or the black one," he continued.

"The big bad black Ace," Finn whispered, his voice dropping eerily.

"What happens then?" Rory asked.

Logan shrugged his shoulders and lifted his drink. "You have to finish your drink."

Rory felt her eyes widen as she looked down at the size of the drink. She sent a silent pray out that she wouldn't turn over the black Ace. She looked over at Finn who was almost drooling over the drink and she couldn't stop from laughing as she realized he was probably praying for the exact opposite.

"Are you three finished over there?" Colin yelled and Rory scurried back to her place.

"Don't get your panties in a twist, McCrea," Finn told him, patting him on the shoulder as he walked by.

"Don't sleep with your eyes closed tonight, Morgan," Colin warned and everyone laughed.

"Alright, alright!" Logan let his voice carry out over everyone. "As per my lovely Paris's request…Let's play!"

"I'm not your anything!" she told him stubbornly.

Logan said nothing and so she huffed, folding her arms in front of her chest. Logan grinned and then leaned forward, grabbing a card and turning it over.

"Three of diamonds…" he said as he laid out the card.

Finn immediately turned to Logan, his face contorted into that of a sad puppy dog. "Come on, mate, I'm your best friend…"

Logan laughed but then turned to Paris. "I believe you look a little parched, Paris."

She glared at him but reach for her glass anyway. "Parched my ass," she grumbled as she took a sip, coughing almost immediately.

Rory swallowed, imagining the feeling of the burning alcohol. "Can't we dilute the drink with something?" she asked hopefully.

"Blasphemy!" Finn cried looking outraged at her idea.

"Where's the fun in that?" Logan asked her, still grinning over at Paris as she spluttered.

Rory sighed, leaning back onto her hands. "No hangover tomorrow morning?" she told them.

"Come on Rory!" Steph cajoled. "Live a little."

Rory grumbled, but refrained from saying anything else. She redirected her attention to Paris. "I guess it's your turn to pick now, right?"

"We could play like that," Logan said and motioned for Paris to pick a card.

She glared at him. "You should be more worried, Blondie. If I get the right card, you're going down!"

Paris reached over, her hand hovering over a card for a moment before she quickly flipped it over.

"Ten of spades…" she whispered, glaring at Logan when he let out a loud laugh.

"Drink up Paris!" Steph told her, her eyes shining with mirth.

"Stupid rigged game," she once again muttered before taking another sip of her drink, this time not coughing as much. "Do I have to pick again?" she asked after she put her glass back down.

"No," Logan told, still looking beyond amused. "The person next to you…"

Stephanie smiled and eagerly reached forward. She picked up the card closest to her. "Eight of spades," she told them, flashing her card around before lying it back down. She grabbed her cup and brought it her lips, taking a sip and then putting it back down.

"Well, the girl can hold her liquor," Colin announced, smiling appreciatively at Steph.

"Among other things," Steph whispered at him, a flirty smile spreading onto her face.

Colin looked at her for a moment with a raised eyebrow. He broke out into a smug grin as he reached down and grabbed a card off the deck. "Joker…" he told them but then a frown covered his face. "Wait a minute…what happens now?"

Everyone turned to Logan who looked like he was deep in thought. "Well…maybe we make up our own rule."

Finn immediately reached for his drink and took a large sip. "Someone volunteers to take a drink," he told them, smiling contentedly.

"Or we could just call it the 'Finn' card…" Colin muttered tossing the card back down.

"I'd be honoured," Finn said reverently. "My turn!" he announced and then eagerly picked up a card. "Two of clubs!" he yelled and Rory winced as the sound assaulted her ear.

"Is he sane?" Paris asked, leaning over closer to Logan, keeping one eye on Finn as he greedily took another drink from his glass.

Logan laughed. "You should be asking his therapist," he told her.

"Oh God," she muttered, sending a weird look over at Finn.

"Your turn now, kitten," Finn told Rory and she gulped nervously.

Rory leaned forward, grabbing a random card to her right and turning it over. "Oh you've got to be kidding me!" she cried.

"Ladies and gentleman!" Finn called and grabbed her hand, raising it up so everyone could see. "We've got ourselves a red Ace!"

Logan grinned and raised his drink into the air. "Cheers everyone!" he said and everyone raised their drinks to.

Rory coughed at the burning from the alcohol running down her throat. She'd never craved water so much as she did at that moment.

Finn laughed at the look on her face and took her glass, putting it back down. "You okay, love?" he asked, rubbing his hand on her back.

Rory froze as she felt his hand, the contact was like electricity. "Umm…yeah…" she breathed.

"You get to pick someone to finish their drink," Logan reminded her and Rory couldn't stop the grin from spreading onto her face.

"Really?" she asked, a mischievous twinkle shining in her eyes.

"Oh, please love!" Finn cried and latched onto her arm. "I'll be your best friend!"

She frowned at him, biting her lip. "I'm not sure…" she teased. "I don't know if your liver can handle it."

"Don't have one!" he announced proudly, jutting out his chest.

"Yes you do, you idiot," Colin told him, rolling his eyes.

"Really?" Finn asked, his hands feeling around his stomach. "I would have thought I'd killed it by now…"

Rory laughed and then nodded. "Fine Finn," she told him and motioned over at his drink. "Finish it off."

"Bless you," he told her, kissing her cheek before throwing back his drink.

"You two want some privacy?" Stephanie asked, an innocent smile on her face when Rory glared at her.

Finn looked over at the blonde and then at Rory, who was slowly trying to hide behind a curtain of her long, brown hair. He grinned and slung his arm around her shoulders, tugging her closer. "I wouldn't object," he told them. "Not in a million years," he whispered into Rory's ear, his breath hot against her neck.

"Right…so umm…" Rory stammered, tucking her hair behind her ear as she turned to Logan. "Your turn, again."

Logan smirked but didn't say anything, to which Rory was more than grateful. He turned over his card and took a drink instantly. "King of spades."

This kept on until it came back to Rory. She wasn't sure she wanted to pick another card, so far everyone had alternated colours. Paris had gotten red and aggressively shoved Logan's drink towards him. Steph had gotten black again and merely winked at Colin as she took a healthy sip. Then Colin himself had gotten red and had chosen Finn, only to make the Aussie stop looking at him. Finn had gotten a black card and kissed it exuberantly before filling his glass back up and taking another drink.

Though the pattern would suggest that Rory would turn over a red card and would get to choose someone to take a drink…well she wasn't putting that much faith in her own luck.

"What are you doing?" Steph asked as they all watched Rory stare at each card carefully.

"She has x-ray vision!" Finn cried and then wrapped his arms around his chest protectively. "I feel so violated…"

Rory glared at him playfully before finally reaching down and turning over a card. "No!" she shrieked when she saw the black Ace staring back at her.

Everyone broke out into loud laughter; tears were actually streaming down Stephanie's cheeks as she rested against Colin's shoulder. Rory frowned at them all, cursing herself for turning over that card.

"Look's like someone's going to be a little drunk tonight!" Finn said in a singsong voice.

"Your favourite kind of girl," Colin told him dryly to which he received a smack from Steph who had almost pulled herself together.

"I wouldn't talk, McCrae," Finn told him and then turned to Rory, picking up the glass she was staring at with distaste. "Bottoms up, love."

She scrunched her face up, closed her eyes and brought the glass to her lips. "I hate you guys," she muttered before quickly swallowing. She groaned as she felt like her throat had burst into flames and fluttered her hands around her, wincing at the taste of the alcohol.

They all watched in pure amusement, staying silent until she had returned her empty glass to the deck of the boat and opened her eyes once again. And in unison they all erupted into grins and cheers, Logan clapping her on the back and Steph giggling like mad, to which Rory thought she must already be tipsy.

Rory smiled before she could stop herself, the burning was gone now but she could feel the effects of the large drink already. She could have told you before they even started playing this game that it wouldn't take much to get her tipsy.

"I've never been more proud before," Finn wept and threw his arms around her, hugging her dramatically.

Rory laughed and rested her head in the crook of his neck. She breathed in the scent that hung off of him, a mixture of expensive aftershave and salt water. It was strangely appealing. She couldn't ignore the tingle shooting through her and the giddy feeling that erupted inside her at being enveloped in his strong arms.

"Umm…ahem!"

The two of them instantly broke apart from each other, Finn with a smug grin on his face and Rory turning red from her forehead to her neck. She spared at quick glance at Stephanie, just in time to see her and Paris exchange a knowing look.

Luckily though, Logan seemed to catch onto her discomfort and he reached for a card, continuing the game. Rory was barely paying attention though, all she could concentrate on was the butterflies in her stomach and the way Finn's smile sent her heart fluttering.

She couldn't deny that she'd been physically attracted to him since the moment she saw him. Hell any woman with eyes would be but was it something more than that?

Was this the summer fling her mother had been talking about before she left?

Rory looked over at Finn, watching as he laughed, teasing Colin and loudly proclaiming his love of alcohol. She smiled, a faint blush rising to her cheeks. If this was what a summer fling felt like…she didn't think it would be so bad…

- - -

**A/N: Okay…I know you probably all hate me right now because it took me like forever to update this. I'm really sorry and I wish I had a great excuse but…I've mostly been focussing all my attention on my new story and so this one has kind of taken a back burner position. **

**But! I have gotten an idea for the next chapter and so I'm hoping it won't take so long again!**

**And this chapter would have been up sooner but for some reason would load on my computer and so I had to wait awhile…**

**Thanks to everyone who reviewed, you guys are so amazing! Thanks!**

**Hugs and Kisses,****-Ella**


	5. I Guess I'm Floating

**Disclaimer: **I don't own Gilmore Girls or Tanc Sade…it sucks but it's true!

Just a Chick Thing

_Rory was barely paying attention though, all she could concentrate on was the butterflies in her stomach, or the way Finn's smile sent her heart fluttering. _

_She couldn't deny that she'd been physically attracted to him since the moment she saw him. Hell any woman with eyes would be but was it something more than that?_

_Was this the summer fling her mother had been talking about before she left?_

_Rory looked over at Finn, watching as he laughed, teasing Colin and loudly proclaiming his love of alcohol. She smiled, a faint blush rising to her cheeks. If this was what a summer fling felt like…she didn't think it would be so bad…_

- - -

Rory groaned, burying her head further in the fluffy, terry cloth towel bunched on her lap. Her eyes were squeezed shut, nose scrunched and mouth set in a firm line, as she tried her hardest to block out the sounds coming from the other end of the boat.

"You look like an aerobics instructor from the eighties," Colin's voice interrupted her and Rory rolled her eyes, though she knew he couldn't see her do it.

"I have to agree with Colin," Finn said and Rory whined as his fingers grabbed her bright pink headband and then snapped it back into place.

"Mean!" she cried, finally giving up and surrendering her ears and nose.

Finn laughed and then dropped down, kneeling in front of her. Flames licked their way up her sides, following the trail of his fingers tips. "Though, love, I've got to say…" he trailed off and let his entire hand splay across her waist. "Spandex does wonders for you."

Rory blushed, her heart pounding in her chest. She looked down into his eyes, feeling herself get lost in the glinting, green orbs. She hadn't felt too good about herself when her and the girls had changed earlier. Though, at the same time, she hadn't thought she looked bad either. They were just clothes, black and pink spandex capri's and a matching cropped top.

"Eww!" Steph whined as she jogged over to them. Her hands held out in front of her and with her she brought a completely disgusting smell.

"Oh no!" Colin yelled and jumped up, backing a few feet away from her.

"Get away! My nose is sensitive, love!" Finn told her, clamping his hands over his face, pretending to be in hysterics as he tried to breathe properly.

Rory rolled her eyes, despite the fact that her lips were turning up into a smile. "Why did we think exercising on a boat was such a good idea?" she pondered aloud.

Stephanie shrugged, washing her hands in a random bucket of water. She brought them up to her face, sniffing at them before nodding and sitting down with Rory on the lounge chair beside her.

"I thought it was a fabulous idea," Finn told them, lying back on the deck, crossing his legs at the ankles and using his arms as a head rest.

"Of course you would!" Colin snorted.

"Like you didn't, mate?" he asked knowingly, to which Colin merely glared. "Told you so. Me, I'm just man enough to admit that hot girls dancing around in spandex turns me on…"

Rory and Steph exchanged a look, before giggling. "Did it turn you on when Paris decided to puke up everything she'd eaten in the past week?"

Finn groaned, glaring at Stephanie. "No that part I could lived without seeing," he admitted.

"I can't believe Logan can deal with that smell!" Colin exclaimed, swishing his hand back and forth in front of his face, ignoring Finn as he batted at it.

Rory smiled, looking over her shoulder where she could see Logan laughing as he tried to help Paris, who only kept pushing him away. "I'm not exactly sure who I feel worse for right now."

"Logan," Steph answered immediately.

They all laughed, stretching out on the deck even more. The sounds and smells of the ocean were everywhere. Waves crashing against the side of the boat, salty air blowing around them, birds flying overhead. If Rory closed her eyes and concentrated hard enough she could almost block out…well Paris.

"Well, this is insane!" Finn erupted and jumped up. They all watched as he marched over to the other side of the boat, climbing up onto the railing.

Colin rolled his eyes. "I'm really sorry about him," he apologized, not looking at all fazed. "He must have skipped his meds today."

Rory merely looked from him to Colin and then back. "Finn!" she yelled and stormed over to him. "Where are you going? You can't jump into the water!" she told him, looking fearfully over the side of the boat.

"Well I can't stay one minute longer on this, shall I say fairly fragrant boat!" he told her sweetly and then shifted until he was sitting on the railing, both legs hanging over the edge. "Plus I've already done it once, from higher up."

Rory glared. She knew he was right, she even knew that jumping maybe 15 feet into the water wasn't that big a deal. It wasn't even his safety that she was worried about; though the thought of man eating killer sharks swimming down there waiting for him sent a trickle of fear running through her…she mostly just didn't want him to leave.

Which was insane, she'd only met this boy a few hours before. She knew next to nothing about him and yet here she was, almost resorting to pulling him onto the deck and throwing herself on top of him to stop him from leaving…

"Where are you going, then?" she asked nonchalantly.

Finn grinned and pointed over to the large yacht that was still floating off to the side. "Well, I'm not sure you can see it from here but…"

She glared smacking him on the shoulder, though a gasp was emitted from her lips as she saw his body jerk forwards. Rory's eyes widened in disbelief, arms reaching out on instinct to grab him and haul him aboard.

"Ahhh!" she screamed, his hand grasping her wrist and pulling her down with him as they fell off the side of the boat, crashing into the ocean below them with a resounding smack!

Rory quickly fought, her legs pumping as she swam for the surface. She gasped for air as her head broke through, hands wiping water from her face and pushing her hair back. She was pretty sure she must have swallowed half a litre of water as she felt her entire body shake with her coughs.

"Oh my God!" Stephanie's voice screamed from above them. "Rory? Are you alive?" she yelled and Rory rolled her eyes.

"Yes!" she called back finally opening her eyes fully.

"What the hell happened?" Steph asked, leaning over the boat. "One second you were there and then the next…SPLASH! Man overboard!"

"Well in all fairness, she's not exactly a bloke!" Finn pointed out, spitting water from his mouth.

Rory suddenly turned on him, her blue eyes glinting with murderous intent. "I can't believe you pulled me over with you!" she accused, splashing him.

He stared at her. "You did not just splash me, Gilmore?" he asked, mock anger radiating off of him.

"Oh I think I did!"

Finn smirked, devilishly and then threw himself on top of her shoulders, his weight easily pushing her under the water. Rory gasped, mouthfuls of salt water burning her throat and lungs. She fought to keep her eyes shut, though they were already stinging from the water. She could feel his body resting slightly on top of hers, pushing her even further down and Rory kicked her feet upwards, trying in vain to swim towards the surface.

Suddenly she felt his weight disappear, his grip on her shoulders vanish and Rory stilled for a moment before eagerly swimming to the surface. Sputtering, she coughed up even more water than the last time, wiping at her eyes and face.

"What the…" she trailed off, spinning around in the water. "Finn?" she asked, hands skimming the surface as she tried to look out further to see if she could see him. "This is just great! I knew there were sharks here!"

"Not a shark, love," Finn said from behind and Rory jumped. "Christ, woman, you're a little on edge don't you think?"

Rory glared at him, smacking his shoulder. "Well after you pulled me off the boat with you and then jumped me I think I deserve to be on edge!" she yelled.

Finn grinned. "I didn't jump you, love. Trust me; you'll know when I jump you."

Rory glared even as she felt her cheeks flush from his words. _When _was sounding a lot like a promise and though Rory wanted to feel angry at him some more she couldn't help but let herself deflate.

"There you go, doll," he coaxed and relaxed into the water, letting the glassy surface carry him along.

Rory nervously let her eyes wander from Finn to the boat that was a couple yards behind them. She couldn't see Stephanie anymore; obviously the blonde had gotten distracted by something. Rory bit her lip before slowly letting her feet float up, lying back in the water.

She closed her eyes, sighing out as her body relaxed completely. She would have never thought she'd be in this position; floating in the middle of the Pacific Ocean, off the coast of Fiji, with a complete stranger by her side. It was surreal and though it sent her heart racing and her nerves sky rocketing, it excited her. This was something she'd craved, something she'd wanted to do ever since she was little. All her life Rory had done what was expected, what was right and she'd been happy doing just that, but she was starting college in the fall, she was turning nineteen. It was time for her to do something crazy and wild and to just let herself go, let herself float in the middle of the ocean and let her heart skip a beat every time Finn smiled at her.

"So…" Finn's voice broke through her mind and Rory opened her eyes again, turning slightly to see him floating beside her.

"So?"

He grinned, smacking the surface of the water like a little kid. "Attracts the sharks," he told her nonchalantly.

Rory straightened out, her head almost slipping under the surface as she forgot to start kicking her legs. She stared at him for a moment, judging the twinkle in his eyes before nodding. "Nearest exit?" she asked, trying to stay calm.

"Of course, please proceed to the exit on your left in an orderly fashion and wait to receive further instructions," he told her in a business like manner while pointing towards the yacht him and the boys owned.

Rory giggled a little and started swimming towards the rather large yacht. She grabbed on to the ladder, hoisted herself up and quickly started scaling it towards the deck. "Awaiting further instructions!" she called as she watched Finn collapse onto the boat.

"Alright Miss Rory," Finn started and then pulled her over towards a side bar and poured a quick shot of some golden liquid for her. The affects of the alcohol from before had been jolted out of her completely the minute they'd fallen over board.

"And this is?" she asked, sloshing the drink around.

"This is your ticket into my wonderful world of being smashed!" he declared loudly and tipped the glass back, swallowing it all. "Now, please do not leave the boat until police and fire department give the 'all clear'."

Rory smiled. "Ooh! Men in uniform!"

"Kinky in the bedroom, I'll have to remember that," he said, scratching his jaw while smirking wildly.

Rory glared, pushing him as she tried to fight back the blush rising on her cheeks. "Is that all?" she asked him pointedly.

He seemed to think about for a moment before running into a cabin behind him and then returning a minute later. He was holding an old Polaroid camera and immediately started flashing it at her.

"Finn!" she yelled, turning her back to him, suddenly very aware of what she was wearing. Soaking wet and clingy spandex. Her cheeks burned red at the mental image.

"Love, your picture must be taken and then used for publicity purposes," he informed her matter of factly. "Now drink up!"

She glanced over her shoulder, waiting until he put down the camera and then finally turned around, one arm going around her bare midriff and the other bringing her glass to her mouth.

"You're insane," she told him but he only nodded and flashed a tooth baring grin.

Rory rolled her eyes and then swallowed the burning liquid, squinting as it ran down her throat. She shook her head at the taste but was slightly grateful as it got rid of the salt water taste from the ocean.

"So…" Finn started up again and Rory laughed.

"So?" she repeated her earlier line.

"You ever been surfing?" he asked abruptly and Rory merely stared at him before she shook her head, nerves building at the wicked gleam that came into his eyes.

- - -

It was well past sunset by the time Rory had somewhat grasped the concept. After hours of her merely slipping off the board or tipping it sideways she'd finally managed to stand, halfway upright, stable for almost 10 seconds.

Finn had been teaching her, scoffing when she'd suggested she take an actual surfing lesson. He'd acted hurt for all of one minute before a large wave came and he'd jumped on his board. Rory wasn't sure if it was the fact that he was born in Australia or what, but he was amazing in the water and she was more than jealous. He'd been riding every wave that rolled through and she couldn't help but marvel at how easy he made it seem.

But the sun had already set and Rory had given up, resorting to merely lying back on the board, letting the gentler waves push her along. She sighed out, completely peaceful when she felt a splash of water on her arm. She looked up to see Finn floating around beside her.

"Tired?" she asked him, closing her eyes again.

"Pooped," he agreed and Rory laughed at his choice of words. She slowly pulled herself into a sitting position, feeling the board tilt underneath her. "Better yet," she mumbled and then uncrossed her legs, straddling it, her feet almost brushing the sandy ground.

She watched as Finn paddled over towards her, stopping so they were floating side by side, facing each other. "Thank you," she said simply.

"For what?"

"For bringing me here. I never would have tried this before...I still don't know how you convinced me to but, I'm glad. I mean, I was horrible, but it still was great!" Rory rambled; trying to find the words to describe how she felt, but she could find none. "Even falling off was fun. This is definitely my favourite day so far, vacation wise."

And as Rory thought over all the completely unexpected things she'd already done and could now picture herself doing in the future, something nagged at her. The idea sent a thrill coursing through her system and had her lips tingling with anticipating. The chill in her body melted away in that moment and she contemplated how she could possibly pull herself onto his board to kiss him without crashing back into the ocean.

Finn had been looking toward the beach as she finished talking, but now his shimmering emerald eyes were staring straight at her. And from the intense look in his eyes she knew he felt the same way she did.

He paddled closer to her, before easily sliding onto her gigantic surfboard and in a second they were facing each other, only a breath apart. He reached up and pushed a wet, curling tendril of dark brown hair from her forehead, then moved his hand to her cheek, and leaned into her. As their lips touched, she felt goose bumps rise onto her arms for a completely different reason than the water.

He continued kissing her as they floated; mere shadows on a backdrop of black. Pulling back slightly, he looked deep into her blue eyes and whispered. "You thought surfing was good? You haven't seen anything yet..."

- - -

**_A/N: Okay, so major apologies are in order. This chapter is completely late, even for me! I've been so busy with school and work and trying to see my friends at least once a week! But I finally sat myself down and cranked out a chapter, small but hopefully the Finn/Rory action will make up for that!_**

**_Thanks to everyone who reviewed, you guys are so awesome!_**

_**Hugs and Kisses,  
-Ella**_


	6. Charming the Locals

Disclaimer: I don't own Gilmore Girls or Tanc Sade…it sucks but it's true!

**Just a Chick Thing**

_Recap:_

_As their lips touched, she felt goose bumps rise onto her arms for a completely different reason than the water._

_He continued kissing her as they floated; mere shadows on a backdrop of black. Pulling back slightly, he looked deep into her blue eyes and whispered. "You thought surfing was good? You haven't seen anything yet..."_

_Chapter Six:_

She'd never been one to make friends easily. Whenever she was in a new situation, be it kindergarten or high school or summer camp, she always felt to shy. But for some reason she didn't feel shy anymore. Be it her mothers and Stephanie's influence, or just that she was growing up, but she wasn't shy anymore.

She was lying on a deserted beach, in a foreign country, with an older guy she'd just met. Sometimes life was unbelievably odd...

"Finn?" she asked him, her mouth moving against his shoulder, where her head was resting.

"Love?"

"How old are you?"

He laughed and shifted out from under her, turning onto his side. He looked into her eyes, grinning. "Seriously?"

She nodded, holding her head up on her palm, her elbow digging into the soft sand. "Seriously, Izzie."

"20," he told her and then quirked an eyebrow. "You? Probably should have asked you earlier."

Rory blushed, thinking of why he would need to ask her age. "Well I'll be starting university this fall, does that answer your question?"

"Maybe," he said. "You seem intelligent, love, could be one of those ladies who go to college when they're 14."

She rolled her eyes. "Trust me, I'm not 14."

Finn smirked, his eyes travelling down the lovely curves that made out her body. She'd changed into a long skirt and tight tank top, both white. Her waist was accentuated with a beaded belt that hung slightly down onto her hips. On her feet was a pair of three dollar flip flops she'd bought earlier when they'd visited some of the beach shops.

"I'll believe that, love," he assured her and grinned when she blushed again.

Rory lowered her gaze for a moment, studying the sand beneath her before she returned her curious eyes to Finn. "Let's get to know each other better?" she suggested.

His eyebrows rose higher. "Didn't peg you as that kind of girl," he told her and rolled onto his back, spreading his arms out and baring his chest to the sky. "I am yours for the study!" he declared and Rory laughed.

"You're insane!" she giggled and laced her fingers through his, pulling herself over closer to him. Her body was now attached to the side of his and she was looking down into his sparkling green eyes.

"Proudly so," he affirmed and bent his legs so his knees were raised, leaning them against her body and Rory bit her bottom lip, the sparks that shot through her at his touch was like nothing she'd ever experienced.

"I wish I could be more like you," she sighed, suddenly feeling more serious than before.

Finn cocked his head to the side. "Like me how?" he asked, seemingly truly interested.

She shrugged and closed her eyes, picturing herself how she'd always wanted to be. "Free, I guess. Uninhibited… Able to just go with the flow and not worry about what might happen or what people are going to think."

"Why don't you?" he asked and Rory finally opened her eyes to look at him again. "You don't really seem like such a stick in the mud, love. If you ask me, you're pretty laid back."

Rory stared at him for a minute before bubbling over in laughter. Her shoulders shook and she had to bite her tongue in order to try and calm down. "Wow...That's...I haven't laughed like that in a while..." she managed to finally say and collapsed down onto his shoulder, still smiling.

Finn frowned before letting a grin spread onto his face. "Apparently I'm a real riot today."

"Sorry, I just..." Rory paused as she tried to think of the right words. "I'm usually a lot different. The past two days, I've been trying to let go a little more."

"Seems like you've succeeded. You fooled me, and I'm an excellent judge of character."

"Oh really?"

"Really, really."

"You remind me of my mother."

His eyes widened at the same time as his body grew stiff. Rory cringed as she realized that she spoke that aloud and slowly met his eyes. He was looking at her like she was crazy and Rory sighed.

"Umm...Okay, that must have sounded weird, but you've never met my mother so..."

Finn shook his head. "Can't say that I have. Can't say that I've ever been told I remind someone of their mother either. Not exactly what I'm going for here," his voice sounded strange and his eyes were cautious as he looked up at her.

Rory nodded, agreeing with him. "Right, but you'd probably like my mom, actually. She'd kind off the opposite of me, more like how I want to be. Wild and unpredictable."

"You're mother?" he questioned, squinting as he tried to wrap his mind around that. "The woman who birthed you?"

"Yes," she was grinning. "Lorelai's awesome, she's my best friend."

His face was priceless and had Rory fighting not to break down into laugher again. She could tell he was doubtful, as was everyone who'd never had the pleasure of meeting Lorelai Gilmore.

"We're actually a lot alike, also. Not only did I get her looks, brown hair and blue eyes, but I also inherited her coffee addiction, her love of movies and her ability to reference absolutely any eighties TV show or obscure rock band no one's ever heard of. Though that last one might also be credited to Lane but really my mom raised me on coffee, candy and movie nights. She taught me how to watch five movies in one night and eat enough candy to force my body into a sugar induced coma for the night..."

Rory finally took a breath once she caught onto the amused expression on Finn's face. "I might have inherited her rambling capabilities..."

Finn's grin grew at the blush that was colouring her cheeks and spreading onto her neck. He briefly wondered how far down that blush would spread before he shook his head of those thoughts and concentrated on the girl in front of him.

"You might have?" he asked pointedly and laughed when she shrugged innocently. "You're mother sounds like a hell of a woman, love."

"I like her," she told him dryly.

"Some bloody fantastic genes, to," he whispered, leaning up by her ear. "I'm starting to understand how unbelievably lucky I am."

Rory's eyes clouded with confusion and she peered down at him. "What do you mean?"

He wasn't sure if she was being coy or if she really wasn't aware of how much she affected him. But from the innocence she so easily exudes, Finn was pretty sure she was absolutely oblivious.

"You don't know how beautiful you are, do you kitten?" he asked her, leaning in so close that he could feel her breath hitting his face.

Rory blushed, lowering her head automatically as a slow fire spread throughout her body, sparked by his words and the sincerity in his voice. No one has ever told her she was beautiful, no one who wasn't family or twenty years older than her.

Finn laughed quietly but decided to change the subject, not wanting to make her to embarrassed, though he enjoyed it immensely. "So?"

"So what?" she asked, lifting her head back up when she noticed he'd fallen back down.

"How about we do something? Can't bloody well lay in the sand all day, now can we?"

Rory smiled and flopped back down beside, the warm sand immediately spreading heat throughout her body. She closed her eyes and tilted her head back, the hot sun caressing her exposed throat gently. One arm rose up and sheltered her eyes as she opened them while the other played against her thigh.

"I don't know, I'm quite comfy," she teased him.

Finn rolled his eyes and pushed him so he was sitting cross legged. "Well," he tsked, "I'm quite bored."

Rory playfully gasped and sat up, holding a hand to her heart. "Did you just call me boring?" she asked him.

Finn smirked. "Why of course not, darling, you're a delight to have around," he assured and Rory smiled, pleased. "But, still, let's explore. I didn't come to dear old Fiji just to lie on the beach!"

"You probably came to pick up girls," she told him.

Finn nodded and then reached for her, curling his arms around her waist and picking her up off the sand. Rory squealed and dug her fingers into his shoulders and kicked her feet erratically but they were too far off the ground and only came into contact with his legs.

"Bloody hell, woman!" he cried again and swung down, hooking his arm under her knees and balancing her bridal style in his arms. "Calm down, would you?"

She glared at him and carefully slid one arm around the back of his neck, praying to God he wouldn't drop her. "Well you shouldn't go around picking people up all willy-nilly!"

"You're the one who told me to pick up girls!" he artfully pointed out and slowly started walking up the beach.

"I didn't mean literally," she pouted but remained calm in his arms.

Finn rolled his eyes but refrained from saying anything. He kept on walking up the beach, his steps random and staggering as her weight, as light as she was, made it slightly harder to walk in the sand. He was glad they hadn't gone too far down the beach and soon enough the pathway back up to the streets came into view. He walked to the edge of the wooden pathway and then carefully set her down onto her own feet, smirking when she stumbled slightly.

"Stop it," she scolded and then huffed when his smirk only grew and she spun on her feel and walked up the path.

"Love!" he yelled after her and started waving enthusiastically. "Oh Rory! Sweetheart!"

Rory blushed as she heard his calls and turned around to see him running towards her, hands flying out around him like a lunatic. The people surrounding them were giving Finn weird looks, whispering to whoever was walking with them and Rory felt her blush deepen but bubbles of laughter were starting to erupt at the same time.

"Rory!" he called again and finally stopped in front of her. He placed his hands on her shoulders and bent over, panting loudly.

Rory smiled and blocked out the people around them, focussing completely on Finn. "You're insane," she told him again and he smirked up at her.

"I had to get your attention somehow," he told her innocently and Rory smacked his shoulder.

"And the attention of the entire street?" she asked, pointing out the people who were slowly going back to whatever they had been doing before.

"Yes," he agreed and grinned when she shook her head and turned back around. Finn laughed and caught up with her, slinging his arm around her shoulders. "Where we going?"

"I don't know," she told him. "I've never been here before?"

"Blasphemy!" he cried and shook his head, as if disappointed in her. "I've been to this lovely island many a times," he said. "Of course I can barely remember half of them, which only proves that it's a highly entertaining island."

"Or that you spent the entire vacation drunk," she pointed out dryly.

He looked down at her confused. "Is there another way to spend a vacation?"

She laughed and pulled him further down the street and Finn grinned. _This would be fun..._

- - -

She wouldn't have been able to dream a place like this existed. A land of beauty, pure and intense, untouched by the modern ways of North America. The entire Island seemed to merely float along the horizon of an impossibly blue sea. Water lapped up onto the beaches, waves of serenity that shifted all the weight from her shoulders and the tension from her bones.

As Finn pulled her throughout the streets, slowly the island melted away and Rory could barely hear the water anymore. She didn't tell him, as she was sure he could see it clearly on her face, but it was her first time entering the villages. Steph, Paris and her had settled on the beach and refused to move for the two days they'd been in Fiji already.

Rory let her gaze take in everything around her, the green lush that covered everything and the volcanic mountains framing the villages. She made the slightly frightening connection that there would be no shopping malls here, no Starbucks. The men were walking the streets, garbed in long, flowing skirts, some dyed vibrantly, while others were muted, monochromatic.

"I've a feeling we're not in Kansas anymore," she whispered under her breath and heard Finn laugh from beside her.

Rory smiled wide, her eyes taking in everything about the alien environment surrounding her. They were walking through a small pathway now, into what looked like a village backed onto a virgin rainforest. Families of parrots flocked the skies overhead, disappearing behind the broad leaves of palm trees that continuously swayed in the southern winds. Frangipanis bloomed on either side of the path, saturating the air with a heady perfume.

"I love it here," she told him, skipping around so she was walking backwards in front of him.

Finn grinned and tugged her closer, twirling her body around so that her back was now pressed against his chest with his arm wrapped around her stomach.

"It's pretty," he murmured, his face nuzzled into her neck and Rory was overwhelmed with the spicy scent of his cologne and the sweet fragrances in the air.

She pulled away from him, a shade reluctant but mostly curious. "More than pretty," she argued and walked further into the village, watching the people as they worked outside. "I've never seen a place like this."

"Love?" Finn called to her and Rory turned around, questioning him with her eyes. She was about to open her mouth when she caught sight of a man coming up behind them. He was large, muscled and arresting in just his presence alone. She let her eyes take in the sweat that was beading on his forehead, his biceps, slipping down his arms. He was holding something over his shoulder, which Rory couldn't see properly until he walked past them. Bananas. A huge bushel of green bananas and Rory caught the smell of them as the wind filtered through. The man switched his gaze to them and smiled wide. Rory returned the greeting, noticing the small red flower tucked behind his ear.

Finn watched her as she studied the local man, completely taken by the curiosity that burned in her eyes. She was so eager to learn, to discover the things around her. Her innocence hung around her like a blanket and Finn was finding himself very attracted to it.

"Love?" He tried again and smiled slowly when Rory turned to him again.

"Yeah?"

"What'd you think of him?" he asked her amusedly, nudging her forward.

She frowned and then caught the mischievous twinkle in his eye. "Ah, a life story huh?" she asked, giggling and then paused, thinking about what she could say. "How about…? He once lived among the bush, for years, cutting vines with a machete and climbing the coconut trees barefoot!"

Finn laughed at her story, the way her blue eyes lit up with pure excitement. "Good call, love. I wonder if he ever caught a glimpse of the dreaded shark god, Dakuwaqa, who patrols the open seas?" he asked, his voice lowering conspiratorially.

Rory rolled her eyes and returned her gaze to the villagers. There were a group of young kids, spread out near the back of the village, crowding around a large log. Four girls and a boy, tumbling this way and that as they tried to balance themselves on the log. A little ways a way an older woman stood out front of her hut. She was wearing a big garland around her neck, made of intricate pink flowers. A man, clad in a bright orange t-shirt, was pushing a cart of fresh produce and Rory briefly wondered if he was going into to the markets to sell any.

"What are they doing?" she asked him, nodding over a group of women who were spreading out food onto a table.

Finn shrugged and pulled her towards them. "Let's go find out!"

Rory's eyes widened and she tried to dig her heels into the ground but Finn was much too strong. "But, Finn, I don't speak…Fiji…Fijian...!"

He laughed but continued to pull towards the women, who were now smiling at them.

"Bula!" they said, warmly and Rory calmed slightly.

Finn echoed the word and so Rory assumed it meant hello or something similar. She watched in fascination as he pointed down at the food spread out before them and the women eagerly nodded, picking up jars and bowls and holding them out.

"See, love, not so bad," he gloated as he picked up a piece of lettuce, piled high with what smelt like fish and was sprinkled with tomatoes and hot peppers.

"Good?" she asked, crinkling her nose.

He finished eating the entire thing and then nodded. "Exceedingly," he praised and smiled broadly at the women.

Rory turned her eyes back down to the table, not recognizing much of anything. One the of the women picked up an opaque jar and handed it to Rory, smiling reassuringly.

"Umm…Thank you," she said and accepted the jar. "What is it?" she asked Finn, hoping he might know but he shrugged, gesturing at the jar.

"Johmb," the woman told them, her accent heavy and her lips barely moving.

Rory raised an eyebrow and then looked back down at the jar. She must have looked confused because the woman shuffled forward and started twisting the lid.

"Johmb on brad," she told her simply, still yanking on the jar.

Rory frowned and then turned to Finn, lowering her voice, even though she was sure the women couldn't understand them. "Wow," she breathed, "that made it considerably more understandable!"

Finn chuckled at her sarcasm and splayed a hand over the small of her back. "Play nice, darling," he pretended to scold her.

Rory glared at him. She looked over at the woman again and smiled as she finally popped the lid off. Rory leaned in further and was instantly met with the most mouth watering scent she had ever smelled.

"Look, love, jam," Finn announced and swiped a piece of bread off the table and the woman spread some jam onto it. "Jam on bread."

Rory grinned and bit into the bread as he held it out for her. While it smelled delicious, the jam tasted like heaven and Rory moaned slightly.

"What kind?" she asked, wondering if it was at possible she could ask Sookie to make this jam when she went back home.

Finn frowned and then pointed at the jar. The women repeated _johmb _a couple more times before one of them through in the word…

"Mugwai."

"Mango?" Rory questioned, licking her fingers of the sticky, heavenly jam.

"No, Mugwai, love," Finn corrected smugly and she glared again.

"Thank you," she told the ladies and smiled greatly, putting down the jar and they smiled also.

Finn grabbed her hand, leading her further through the village, watching the kids running around and the men and women either relaxing or working. Everything seemed so simple, so calming. They worked slow, not rushed or frantic. They took breaks, long ones and Rory noticed they brewed drinks together and sipped at them casually. Many of them greeted her and Finn; broad smiles were sent their way and waves, everyone was wonderfully charming.

Soon enough they found themselves passing the small village and once again on a small paved path. It was situated along the banks of a river, the other side swallowed by thick ferns and palm trees. Her tank top was beginning to become uncomfortable, as sweat moistened it. The white of her skirt was becoming harder to see, as dirt was swept up onto the hem.

Rory stopped walking, grabbing Finn's arm and pulling him back to stand beside her. She looked over the water of the river, watched as it bubbled and flowed freely. She sighed, smiling peacefully, feeling more relaxed than she ever thought possible.

"It's really something, isn't it?" he asked and Rory closed her eyes as she felt his hands settled on her shoulders. He brushed her hair away and kneaded his thumbs into the juncture of her neck and shoulders.

Rory 'hmmed' under his fingers, her body slumping back against his strong chest, as a myriad of tingles spread through her. His hands worked at her body, hot and rough against her skin and making her sigh pleasurably. The tension in her muscles had vanished the moment they started exploring this island, and so his hands worked deeper, her bones melting into him completely.

"Rory," he breathed by her ear and she shuddered. One of his hands dipped down to her waist, curving around her and twisting her around to face him. She kept her eyes closed, not having the strength to open them. She was utterly lost in the feeling of his hands on her skin and the heat coming from all around her.

And then his lips were on hers. Kissing her deeply, passionately, possessively and she trembled against him. Her hands rose to his shoulders, gripping them helplessly and allowing her body to fall into him. The hand that had been massaging her neck tangled into her hair, swept across her jaw and cradled her head. He was enclosing her, his chest flush against hers, his arm wrapped around her waist, his hand inching up her bare back, and his thigh wedged deliciously between her legs.

They stayed locked together, overwhelmed by the sheer fever that spread from their kiss. Rory was sure they would have continued kissing for God knows how long but instead they were broken up by a splash coming from the river behind them.

Finn slowly broke away from her, his forehead coming to rest against hers and his breathing ragged. She smiled shaky, a burst of female pride strumming through her and she slid one hand up into his thick and tousled hair. His emerald eyes were darkened, desire clouding them beautifully and she was sure they mirrored her own eyes.

"Bloody heron," he muttered under his breath and Rory stared at him for a second before what he said actually registered in her mind.

She frowned. "What?"

Finn chuckled and with a quick glance at her shining, swollen lips he pulled away from her and spun her around. "Horrible timing, you have mate," he called, gesturing out at the river and Rory gasped when she saw the rather big, white bird, stalking the water and flapping its wings.

"Oh my," she breathed and stepped back, her hand latching onto Finn's arm and squeezing.

Finn blinked, looking from the bird to Rory. She'd gone considerably still, her eyes unmoving as they watched the heron and her nails digging themselves painfully into his arm.

"Umm…Darling?" he asked, trying to pry her hand off him but she wouldn't let go. "Rory? Rory!"

The girl in question finally tore her eyes away from the bird and concentrated on Finn. She felt his hand on her wrist and blushed, quickly letting go of him. "Sorry," she mumbled, tucking her hair behind her ear and glancing back at the bird.

"Hey, who really needs fully functioning arms?" he joked and grinned when Rory laughed. "I'm guessing you're not a bird fan," he stated and Rory shook her head enthusiastically. "Good to know," he said and then started walking again, taking her further and further away from the heron.

"I don't like seagulls," she told him dryly. "That was bigger then a seagull."

He laughed and nodded. "If it makes you feel better, doll, I'm terrified of slugs," he suggested.

Rory stared at him as they walked, her eyes shining with mirth and her cheeks rosy. "Slugs?" she repeated, disbelieving.

He shivered, moving his shoulder around awkwardly. "Nasty things, slugs are. All slimy with mucus and the slithering and the tentacles!" he told her.

Rory laughed, smiling wider than she had in ages. She'd never met anyone like Finn, who was so comfortable and laid back. And yet he could change in seconds, he could become serious and wise, or devilishly sexy. He made her want to let go, made her want to just let it all go. He was crazy, unruly, charming, intelligent, cunning and more handsome than she thought possible.

And as he wrapped his arm around her waist, tugging her body closer to his, Rory felt the sparks and the heat that accompanied his touch. And she wondered if she could go her separate way, leave all this behind at the end of the summer…

It seemed so far away and yet the thought of leaving this, leaving _him_, had her heart pounding and aching.

She was quickly getting in over her head.

- - -

**A/N: Okay, so this chapter is extremely overdue. Excuse? Writers block. I had so many ideas for this story but I can't seem to remember any of them, really. So, if anyone has any ideas for what can happen to maybe put in some drama or whatever I'd be grateful!**

**Hope you liked this chapter and thanks to everyone who reviewed, you're all so amazing!**

**Hugs and Kisses,  
-Ella**


	7. Show Me Your Smile

Just a Chick Thing

It was a morning unlike any other. A morning of intense heat, glorious sun and a deep seated fatigue that swam throughout her veins. She purred from her spot in bed, stretching amid the tangled sheets and smiling contently. Even the sweltering humidity could do nothing to dampen her spirits. She was high on the sheer smell of her room, sweet-smelling lavender tinted with passion fruit and something else entirely delicious. The sheets that were wrapped about her waist covered barely a foot of her body, exposing her legs from the knee down.

She'd gone to bed late the night before. Regaling Steph and a still queasy Paris with her day spent walking the villages with Finn. Stephanie had been thrilled, hanging on every word and begging for a greater description of their kiss. Rory smiled as she thought over how happy they all seemed now. Even Paris, still pale and sickly looking, had a sparkle in her eyes that Rory was sure was from a certain blonde. They'd each taken turns explaining their days, gushing over some of the strangest things, like the tiny dimple that manifested itself on Logan's cheek when he smiled, the intelligence that radiated from Colin as he'd taught Steph all about the reef and the shocking knowledge that she'd been helplessly attracted to him because of it. Even Rory had thrown in her odd attachment to Finn's powerful hands, the length of his fingers and the prominent veins the roped up along his arm.

She couldn't remember having a girl's night like that in a long time, something she'd sorely missed. In her day to day routine, Rory wasn't known to gush over a guy, even if he was a walking Greek God, but once in a while, the chance to let it all out in the company of her two best friends was more than welcome.

She wasn't sure when they'd finally collapsed into sleep but it had been well past dark outside. Though, the encompassing darkness had fallen fairly early that night, as the entire island had fallen prey to a loud and crashing thunder storm. Their small cabin had been drenched with rain all night, the rooms lighting up with every swift strike of lightening.

In lieu of a grand hotel, the three of them had chosen to rent a small cottage for the month they'd be in Fiji. First it had been because they couldn't find a hotel that was close enough to the docks where Steph's yacht was tied. But after Rory had spent the entire day, soaking up the sun and culture with Finn, she couldn't think of a better place to come back to.

The small cabin was homey and comfortable. Their front door opened onto a wooden porch, complete with a rocking chair and a hammock. The four steps down from the porch brought you to a small stone pathway that led to the road and then the beach a few yards away. It was a perfectly private escape from everything else in their lives and the girls had instantly agreed on renting it.

They'd spent the night in the one bedroom, after having pushed the night tables out of the way and propping the two double beds next to each other. Mounds of blankets had been spread over the two beds, along with a dozen pillows, creating the ultimate spot for relaxation.

Rory sighed out as she rolled over in the bed, hitting the soft mound of a balled up comforter and let her body mould into it. She felt beyond lethargic, not wanting to get up for anything. And so she kept her eyes stubbornly closed and merely listened to sounds of Fiji. She didn't hear anyone else padding around their small cottage and so she assumed she was only one awake. Rain was still falling outside, pinging off the slanted roof but the gentle sound only added to her serene mood. Over the rain, Rory could hear the ever present sound of the ocean as waves crashed upon the shore, probably stirred up from the storm earlier. She even heard the faint sound a bird calling out as it flew overhead. She shifted again, sighing peacefully.

"You're so having a dirty dream," Steph's amused voice easily broke through her lethargic mind.

Rory frowned and popped open an eye. Steph was kneeling on the bed before her, legs crossed and a wicked smile stretching her pink lips.

"What?" she asked as she lazily pushed herself onto her elbows and peering over at Paris who seemed to be awake now also.

Stephanie licked her lips. "You, dirty dream," she simplified and then uncrossed her legs and sunk down to her stomach. "Let me guess... You and Finn, rollicking around for a little fun in the sun," she teased, smirking.

Rory felt her mouth drop open and her cheeks flood red. She stared at Steph for a moment before bringing up a stray pillow and flinging it at her head.

"I cannot believe you just said that!" she cried, mortified as she fought against everything she had to not picture her and Finn doing anything along those lines.

"I cannot believe you're offended," the blonde shot back, clearly joking. "I mean the man is not only gorgeous but he's got the accent to boot," she stated, a dreamy look flitting across her face.

"Well, if you're so enamoured with him why don't you date him?" Rory asked dryly, although the possibility sent her heart clenching.

"Honey, I would never steal your man," she promised sweetly and flounced out of bed.

"I wouldn't bite your tongue while saying that," Paris chimed in, as she to rose from the bed.

Rory was left alone in the bedroom, sitting upon the comfy bed, a frown marring her features. Why did the thought of Steph and Finn getting together bug her so much? Or more frightening, the thought of Finn being with anyone who wasn't her? She couldn't like him so much already? She'd known him for a few days and while he kept very good company, was it possible that she'd already developed that deep an attraction to him?

Rory grumbled as she hopped off the bed and trudged towards the kitchen. The wooden floors of the cottage were cold against her bare feet and sent a welcome shiver up her legs. Even dressed in a thin pair of shorts and a tank top, she could still feel the heat bearing down on her.

"Coffee," she muttered as she hopped up onto one of the stools lining the bar.

"Aww, did I spoil someone's good morning?" Steph smiled innocently while pouring Rory a mug full of coffee.

She glowered. "Yes," she exclaimed before gulping down the scalding liquid and sighing at the pleasure of it coursing through her system.

Paris watched her savour the drink. She would never understand how Rory could enjoy coffee when it was ninety degrees outside.

"So what are we doing today?" Paris asked, leafing through a stray brochure. "I think we're pretty much stuck inside until it stops raining."

"A little rain never hurt anyone, Paris," Rory told her, sparing a glance outside but she could barely see anything through the blurry window panes.

Steph looked at her with a raised eyebrow. "Well, you can go do a rain dance down at the beach if you want." She glided over to the plush couch and dropped down. "I have a Plan B though, if you're interested."

Rory rolled her eyes but felt her curiosity peaked anyway. She shared a look with Paris before the both of them walked over to the couch and sat down next to Steph.

"And what does this glorious plan of yours entail, Vanderbilt?" Paris asked dryly, still thumbing through something from the National Board of Tourism.

Steph rolled her eyes and plucked the brochure from her hands, flinging it over her shoulder. "Definitely not something you're going to find in a boring, government standard travel brochure."

"Especially when we're being forced to spend the day holed up in here," Rory said and brought her knees to her chest as she quickly tied her hair back.

"Ahh but it won't be boring," Steph promised and lifted her purse from the table in front of them, fishing through its contents until she came across her cell phone.

"Your phone?" Paris inquired. "We're going to call people back home and pay exceedingly high long distance charges because you're afraid to get your hair wet?"

Steph glared at her but redirected her attention to her phone and scrolled through the list of contacts before settling on one in particular. "I never said we're calling someone from home," she clarified.

"But we don't know anyone here," Paris stated, folding her arms over her chest.

"Except the guys we met yesterday," Stephanie reminded her. "Or were you to busy throwing up to notice anyone else?"

Rory sighed as she watched her friends bicker relentlessly. They might be best friends but Steph and Paris had fairly clashing personalities and Rory was not in favour of having them cooped up together for an entire day.

"So you're calling Colin?" she asked, breaking up their argument.

Steph brightened at the mere mention of him and nodded. "I got his number yesterday," she told them, flashing her phone at them quickly. "He told me not to wait long before using it."

"He likes you," Rory told her, before grimacing at how squeaky and high pitched her voice had come out as.

"Ain't lust grand," the blonde chirped.

"Isn't it supposed to love?" Paris asked, frowning.

"After a mere day?" Stephanie laughed and brushed her blonde hair away from her face. "Please, that boy is after my body and nothing else at this point."

"And you're perfectly okay with that?" Paris demanded.

"Why not? I got a sneak peak at what's under his shirt and I have to admit, I'm in pretty much the same boat," she revealed pretending to fan herself.

Rory laughed at her antics and shook her. "You have no shame," she told her.

Stephanie smirked as she pressed the little green button on her phone and then held it up to her ear. "I wasn't the one having dirty dreams last night..."

Rory gawked at her and then smacked the blonde on the arm. Stephanie laughed into her greeting and Rory soon heard Colin's faint voice on the other line.

She suddenly felt nerves exploding in her stomach. She was going to be trapped in a small cottage, alone with Finn for an entire day...

This wasn't good, especially when she couldn't get the thought of those "dirty dreams" out of her head.

- - -

His body reminded her of summer. Skin exposed to the heat of the day, deeply tanned and warm to the touch. His eyes were emerald green, sparkling and vibrant like the green stalks of plants that bloomed throughout July and August. The hands and arms she'd found herself admiring earlier were now hooked around her waist, cradling her body to his and Rory could feel the strength lying in them.

But it was his lips that called to her the most. Full and tempting, curving ever so lazily into a smirk and then ghosted a kiss over the skin of her neck. Rory arched into him, feeling her skin pulsing with the electricity spurred from his touch. Her hands grasped his forearms, fingers dancing over his skin in an ever tantalizing rhythm.

His body was stretched out under her own, his legs locked between her hips as she straddled his thighs. His arms unhooked from her waist, hands slipping down her exposed back and gently cupping her hips.

"Finn..." she whispered, her lip caught between her teeth as she fought against her moan that threatened to consume her.

He grinned beneath her, pleasure rocketing through his body on seeing her so affected by his touch. He wanted to wind her up, tight and taut, wanted to caress the skin hidden from his eyes and familiarize himself with everything about her. Every freckle, every blemish, every scar. He wanted to watch her reaction as he ran his fingers over the small of her back, let his nails scratch at the skin behind her knees, let his lips latch onto that spot just below her ear.

"Kitten..." he called back to her and she opened her eyes slowly, revealing two identical midnight blue irises.

A small sound escaped her lips as she slowly let her body melt into his. Her hands trailed down from his biceps to his wrists, her chest dropping to meet his own, breasts heaving in time with her rapid heartbeat, straining quite nicely against her bikini top. Finn felt his eyes close, and his mouth drop open as her lap fell to his thighs, the sweat heat emanating off her body was to much for him to bear and on their own accord, his hands swept to her hips and pushed her body harder against him.

"Finn!" Rory exclaimed, alarmed at the sudden burst of pleasure that shot through her system. Her body tensed upon his, wary of moving and yet at the same time trying desperately to hold on to the slow knot of pleasure building in her gut.

Finn smiled and turned his head, kissing the shell of her ear. "Nothing to worry over, darling," he assured her, regretfully releasing her hips form his hold and bringing his hands towards her hair.

Rory sighed out, gnawing on her bottom lip for a moment. She wasn't sure what was happening exactly, how they'd ended up here and in this position. Nerves were racing along her spine as she shifted her weight and heard the slight groan he emitted. And if she was being honest with herself, the fear running through her system wasn't because she felt like she was being pushed towards something she didn't want to do; instead it was a fear of how much she wanted to do it.

Her body was ready; screaming at her for some unknown kind of pleasure that Rory knew Finn could provide her with. She wanted to let her inhibitions fly away, wanted to drown herself in him and let the intoxicating feeling of being in his arms overwhelm her.

And that feeling terrified her.

Rory swallowed nervously and then lifted her head, letting her eyes meet his. So many emotions were storming within his gaze and they made her breath catch in her throat. She'd never been looked at like that before, never been wanted like he obviously wanted her now.

Of course Rory didn't have much to go off of, only having two boyfriends before now. But neither of them had ever looked at her like Finn was, with barely restrained passion, with lust, with a boundless happiness that made her stomach explode with butterflies and her heart skip a beat.

Dean barely looked at her with anything other than happiness, care and affection. And it had been nice, to be on the receiving end of such gentle emotions. She'd almost felt like a princess, like an angel, but never wanted, not in the way Finn wanted her now. Dean's eyes never darkened a shade when they kissed, his hands never strayed form her face or her waist. Unlike Finn's caress that trailed liquid fire over her body, his hands tracing the vertebrae in her spine, the shell of her ear, the sensitive skin below her breast. The feelings he let erupt inside her were exhilarating and overwhelming and addicting. It almost felt like she was jumping off the side of a bridge, flying over a vast expanse of sparkling waters. Her heart nearly exploded, her stomach dropped her knees and her body flushed with adrenaline.

She'd never been bungee jumping before, but Finn's kiss made her yearn to take the jump.

But this wasn't the first time she'd thought she was ready. She'd been ready with Jess, ready to commit herself to him in the only intimate way she knew. Their relationship had been different than hers with Dean. Rory wasn't sure why she was so attracted to Jess, maybe her mom was right and it was simply her bad boy phase, or maybe Steph had been right when Rory wanted him because she couldn't have him. Either way, she'd fallen for Jess in the beginning, long before she'd even known it herself.

He was different than Dean in so many ways. He read the same books as her, he was just as smart as her, and they could debate over anything from music to movie to politics to global issues to which character on Saved by the Bell was the best. They'd connected in a way that Rory had never experienced before. Jess had been the first person to teach her the finer arts of kissing, the one who's hands had first found that sensitive spot just below her ear. And he'd made her feel things she hadn't felt with Dean, he made her want to kiss him, to just forget everything else and remain attached to his lips forever.

And while Rory would admit that Jess had raised feelings in her that Dean couldn't, they still didn't compare to what she felt now, here with Finn. Where there had been sparks with Jess, there were flames with Finn. Where Jess would control their interludes, Finn would lie down and pull her on top of him, simply telling her to have her fun. They were opposites in a way. Jess had never given up that control, had never opened up to her and surrendered his heart, his passion. And yet, after an hour of lying outside on the hammock in the backyard of the cottage with Finn, Rory had seen him lay it all bare, had seem him throw caution out the window. And the results were staggering, the simply pleasure that tore through her body was unexplainable and electrifying and intense.

And scary, because she'd only known him for a mere two days.

"Hey!" His voice broke her from her thoughts and Rory shook her head once before looking at him. "What you thinking about, love?" he asked, cocking his head to the side.

Rory smiled shyly and banished her thoughts from her mind. She shrugged and slid over to his side, so her one leg ran parallel to his and her other was hooked over his thigh. She brought her right arm over and used it as a pillow, her other hand splayed over his exposed chest.

"This is weird," she sighed, glancing at him briefly before returning her gaze to the trees surrounding them.

He crooked an eyebrow. "Weird?" he repeated.

"Yeah," she said and ducked her head. "We've only known each for two days and look at us."

Finn did as she told him, letting his eyes trace over their tangled limbs. His eyes jumped form his own rumpled clothing to her wrinkled shorts and slightly askew bikini top. As his gaze travelled up to her face, a self satisfied smirk worked its way onto his lips. She looked more than thoroughly debauched. Her lips were bright red, plump and swollen from the kisses they'd shared in the past hour. Her cheeks were flushed red, her eyes deep with arousal. Her brown hair was as unruly as ever, splayed over her shoulders in a tangled mass. He'd never seen a sight more beautiful.

"Well," he drawled, turning on his side, careful to keep their weight evenly distributed in the large hammock. "I happen to like our current position, love, although I much rather liked the one with you on top of me..."

She felt her cheeks blushing red at his comment and Rory glared at him, bringing her hand up to smack him on the head. "You're horrible!" she told him, swatting his hand away as he tried to grab her.

"Come on, doll, do we have to analyse the hell out of this, now? Can't we do it some other time?" he suggested, letting his head drop to her shoulders and his lips curve along her skin.

Rory came alive with his kiss, her breathing speeding up and her body slowly arching towards his. "I...Finn, I don't think this is a good idea," she managed to get out, biting her tongue roughly as his teeth nibbled on her collarbone.

"Really?" His tongue dipped to her shoulder, tracing the subtle curves of her body. "Cause I rather like this idea."

She had no doubt he did.

Rory opened her mouth to respond when he lowered his mouth over her chest, lips only centimetres away from her breast. The heat of his mouth swept over her body, tempting her into a world of pleasure.

Rory smiled, letting her hand sweep over his side, loving the open expanse of skin. He'd discarded his shirt earlier, claiming he was in desperate need of some sun, which wasn't true because his skin was already deeply tanned. But Rory would never complain. His body was lean and long, dark skin stretched over compact muscle. But as Rory let her hands roam more freely over his side she felt her fingers glide over a small scar near his pelvis. She frowned, letting her finger retrace the small cut for a moment before she felt his lips grow still against her skin, his body become tense over hers.

Finn pulled away from her then, physically pushed himself off of her and then twisted out of the hammock. His shoulders were strained, his back ramrod straight and his hands curled into tight fists.

Rory's frown increased as she too sat up on the hammock. She brought her legs out slowly, keeping her balance as she placed her feet on the ground. She turned her head to see him, watching his profile as he stared down at his own feet. His eyebrows were drawn together, his forehead wrinkled in thought. His lips, still swollen and red were now turned down in a grimace. But it was his eyes that sent shivers racing throughout her body. His normally bright green eyes were almost black now, but instead of lust clouding them like she'd seen earlier it was a slow, gnawing darkness. His eyes seemed empty, and yet angry at the same time.

Rory squirmed beside him, her eyes flickering down to the spot where she'd felt the scar. He must have jerked his shorts up or something because she could only see a few centimetres of it now. But what caught her attention was the intricate design that was laid into his skin beside the scar. She'd never noticed it before, which surprised her because she'd seen with without his shirt on many times already.

It was a tattoo, of what size she wasn't sure because it stretched down below his shorts from what she could tell. But the part that she could make out was the top of a cross. Rory let her eyes flash back to his face but Finn seemed to be lost in a world of his own, his lips moving fast but no words passing by them.

Rory sighed out and shifted closer to him on the hammock. Slowly her hand brushed against his fist and she gasped at the jerk his body gave. His eyes shot to hers and Rory was shocked at the emotions swirling in their depths. The pain and misery that haunted his expression, seemingly so out of place on his normal exuberant expression.

"Finn?" she whispered, reaching for him again, wanting to comfort him, wanting to know whatever it was that had him so sad.

He shook his head, taking his hand away from hers and running it through his hair. "It's nothing," he told her, his voice cold, unemotional.

Rory frowned and moved closer to him still. "It's something," she said, hating herself for prying when she could tell he didn't want to talk about it. But the need to know everything about him was pressing in on her and Rory couldn't stop the words from pouring out.

Finn snapped his head towards, glaring. "Leave it alone, Rory," he ordered, leaving Rory bristling at his tone, yet feeling more than helpless.

"Finn..." she tried again but he leapt from the hammock, pacing back and forth in front of her. "Finn, I'm sorry," she tried again.

He paused, raked a hand through his hair and then turned to her. His face was solemn, drawn tight. Rory could feel the tension radiating off him in waves.

"I have to go," he muttered, avoiding her eyes and turning to walk away.

Rory stared after him, sitting alone on the hammock. She felt her heart pounding, her stomach twisting, hating herself for driving him away. As she watched his back disappear around the cottage Rory felt the hot sting of tears burn her eyes, blurring her vision.

She sniffled, wrapping her fingers into the fabric of the hammock, holding on tightly. Pain shot through her heart when she heard the sound of an engine gunning to life and then saw his Escalade speeding down the road.

What the hell happened?

What had she done?

- - -

_**A/N: Okay…I can't it took so long to write this chapter. But I finally finished it and whatever so I hope everyone likes it, and the little twist at the end. **_

_**Thanks to everyone who reviewed the last chapter, you guys make me want to write. Thanks!**_

_**Hugs and Kisses,  
-Ella**_


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